Freddy is 5 Today!

It was 5.56pm on July 9th 2009 that I gave birth to my son Freddy.  Weighing in at 9lb 10oz, this little boy was destined to bring a whole new dimension of love and joy into our hearts.  With three doting big sisters and a big brother, he has been surrounded by affection and attention from the very start.  We have seen him develop into a beautiful, confident, outgoing little lad, overcoming every hurdle with his determined spirit.  He makes us laugh with his cheeky sense of humour, entertains us with his singing and dancing and fills our days with laughter, pride and fun.  

He loves watching videos on YouTube (he knows the words to Dumb Ways to Die in both English and Italian).  He likes Nerf Guns, wooden swords and water pistols.  He enjoys Wii Sport boxing and playing Plants vs Zombies on my phone.  He likes his sandpit, swing and slide and playing out doors. His love of strawberries, grapes, egg whites, cheese pizza, tomato soup and porridge stops me worrying about how fussy he is when it comes to eating a hot meal at dinnertime  His reading, writing and drawing skills have just taken off after a very slow start (my age and experience has taught me not to worry - he'll get there in his own time!) Freddy loves to join in with things and makes friends with other children wherever we go. He loves to snuggle with me in my bed in the mornings and the feel of his soft hair against my cheek, as he nestles close to me, remains one of my favourite moments of the day.

Having a child in my forties, I worried about whether I'd be able to keep up with him, but this boy keeps me young at heart and on my toes. He has reminded me of what is important in my life, has taught me so much about myself and has consequently given me a more relaxed outlook on things.  He is an absolute blessing and I am eternally grateful that I get to be his mummy!

Happy 5th birthday to my little man!

Matalan School Uniform Review #backtoschool

The school year is almost over for Kizzy and Freddy.  For Kizzy this sees the end of her primary school education, and from September she will be going up to the local secondary school.  Freddy will become a Year 1 in the same class as he is in now, joined by the new intake of reception children.  He is looking forward to becoming one of the 'big kids'!  The new school year means that Kizzy and Freddy will be needing lots of new items of school uniform.  Luckily for them Matalan stepped in to help with our back to school purchases!

Kizzy was sent some lovely pieces from the range making three very different back to school looks.

The fashion empire line pinafore dress in grey, features pockets and adjustable button down straps which cross over at the back.  The material has some stretch in it for a good fit. It is available for children aged 3-13 priced from £6.00-£8.00.  It was teamed with a white polo shirt, which comes with embroidered detail and a scalloped collar.  The fit is good and the material is soft on the skin.  A two pack is priced from £5.00 to £7.00.

Kizzy's next look was a more formal approach to uniform consisting of black skirt, white blouse and black cardigan.  The skirt is lovely with an adjustable waist band and lovely embroidered detail to the front.  The material is soft and silky and the hang and movement of the skirt is very feminine. It is priced from £5.50 to £7.50. The long sleeved white blouse is a nice fit, made of crisp, easy care poly-cotton with a button front fastening. Kizzy popped on her new house tie for her new school and looked really smart.  A two pack of shirts costs £5.00 - £8.00.  The cardigan has scalloped edging detail and button fastening.  It's a simple but pretty design, which fits well and buttons up at the front.  It will be perfect under a blazer.  It costs from £5.00 to £7.00.

Her third style is the summer dress in green gingham.  The skirt is a flippy style with lots of movement, and there is a pocket and bow detailing on the waistband.  It is a very pretty design and is cool for the summer. It is £7.00.

              

On her feet Kizzy wore a nice pair of flat black pump style school shoes with flower detail on the toe and velcro straps for a good fit.  They are sensible, practical but also pretty.

Matalan also stock a range of underwear such as socks, tights, vests and pants, so kids can look smart from head to toe!  It is a one stop shop for all your children's back to school needs.

Freddy looks very smart in his grey trousers, white shirt and blue jumper.  The trousers had an adjustable waist (essential for my slim waisted little lad) and a zip fasteneing. They are Teflon coated for stain resistance, making them better able to cope with everything my little school boy will put them through.  The fit was good, but I'm going to need to take them up by about an inch.  Freddy is quite weeny!  They are £7.50.  Freddy usually wears polo shirts for school but he loved the white shirts.  At £5.00 to £8.00 for a two pack, they are good value for money.  The fit is very good and the back is darted. He looked very grown-up in them.  The V-necked jumper has ribbed cuffs and hem, and is knitted from a cotton blend fabric for comfort.  At £5.00 to £7.00 it is perfect for wearing to school.

Matalan also stock a great range of polo shirts in various colours priced from £4.00 for a three pack.  We were very impressed with the plain white vest multipack, which works out at just £1.00 per vest.  You can also pick up items of sportswear, coats and other school essentials.

I am so pleased to have made such a great head start on my  back to school shopping.  I am determined to avoid any last minute rushing about at the end of August trying to buy things I have forgotten.  I plan to be totally organised allowing me to enjoy a stress free summer where I can make the most of the precious time with my family.

Matalan's school uniform range offers items to suit different budgets and tastes.  Many items have adjustable waists, some are Teflon coated and many are easy to iron.  You can buy in store or order online for convenience.  The uniform comes in sizes from 3 up to 16 years old, seeing your little ones through their school years.

See more at www.matalan.co.uk/back-to-school

What Fred Said about School #saiditsaturday

Freddy started school on Wednesday.  My little, tiny 4 years and 2 month old baby is now officially a full-time school boy.  He handled the transition beautifully and has settled in really well.  He was very tired on Friday afternoon and I think that next week, which is a full five day week, will be a challenge.  But I am extremely proud of my little lad.  He is a star!

He has told me lots of things all about school:

"It is really boring for mummies and daddies."

"My homework is to do playing."

Me: Have you made friends?
Freddy: Yes.
Me: Do they have names?
Freddy: Yes, everyone in my class has a name.

My favourite part of school is doing my homework!" (As he told us that homework is playing, this comes as no surprise!)

Freddy and his cousin and classmate A were discussing why their regular teacher was not in school for the first week:

Freddy:  I think she has problems in her house.
Cousin A:  I think she went on holiday or died!

"The teacher reads lots of stories.  My favourite was about that elephant who went slow, slow, slow, boom, boom, boom!"

"My blue sweatshirt is too soft and makes my tummy feel rumbly!"

I bumped into someone, BOOM, cried and needed an ice pack." (My poor little soldier!!)


I hope Freddy continues to tell me his stories about school, sharing his days with me.  I can't believe that my baby has taken his first step into his school career.  Now I just need to decide what to do with my days without my little boy to look after!