A very grown up 6 year old

My eldest was still going to his old school for a few weeks after we moved, as changing schools is very complicated. Then at 2pm before they broke up for half term I got a phone call asking if he could start at the local school after half term. So I had to ring his old school and tell them he was leaving that day so he could say goodbye to everyone he had known since nursery. I was really worried how he would take it, but he was SO grown up about it bless him! He said goodbye, I got some flowers for his teacher, and that was it. After half-term he went to his new school and was absolutely fine. He looked a bit worried when we left him on the first day, but apart from that, it was like he had always gone there. I think kids deal with change better than we do!

 

His new school is lovely, it has lots of outdoor space which his old one didn't, actual grass and everything! He seems to have less homework but he's ok with that! I haven't managed to make friends with any mums yet, it's quite bizarre, the parents stand all over the playground in random groups so when the kids are let out it takes the teacher a while to spot the parents, some of whom are right at the other side of the playground. So I have no idea who is in the same class, but I'm hoping when the youngest starts at nursery in September I might meet someone to talk to!

Life in Essex

So I must be finally becoming assimilated into being an Essex mum! I found myself shouting at another mum outside the youngest ones pre-school this morning. Go me! But she had it coming. Why? Let me tell you...

 

The school has a teeny tiny car park, so parking is often a tight squeeze. She parks right in the middle of the car park blocking everyone in and no-one else can get in or out. She swans into school pushing everyone else out of the way, and then she'll take forever to get back to her car, and then sits texting for a good while. Everyone has to wait till she's finished, like no-one else has anywhere to be.

 

This morning she was doing the same. Even though there were 3 parking spaces, but nobody could get to them as she was parked in the way. Finally I managed to park, with difficulty. I got my boy out of the car and then she decided to move her car. She reversed over the pavement and nearly took us out. Which was the final straw. I gave her a mouthful about her driving and she just looked at me and drove off. I really hope she complains about me to the school, then I'll tell them exactly why I shouted at her! Stupid self-centred woman.

A lot has gone on...

So since I last wrote, we moved house, got the boys into the local school, and less than 2 weeks after we moved we got a puppy. So life has been a bit mental. Though I love our new house, it's like it was made for us and we are so much happier here. I finally have my big kitchen, and although it smells a bit doggy it's still lovely! Having a puppy (Archie the bulldog) has been very trying, I never really thought it through - that although it was the other half's dream I'd be doing all the looking after! I would have given him away in the first couple of weeks but now we're getting there, and the kids love him (when he isn't nipping them).

 

The main difference with this house and our old one is that I actually find myself actually sitting relaxing and doing sod all! Our old house always needed something doing, or maybe it was me, couldn't relax and always had to be doing something. Now we sit out in the garden listening to the birds in the forest at the back, and go for nice long walks in the forest when it's nice. We don't have to listen to sirens every 5 minutes or drunk people staggering past. I don't know why we didn't do it years ago. And the funny thing is, I wouldn't have even looked at this house if the estate agent hadn't suggested it.

 

Oh, we also had our first car crash! Woo! A farmer in a pick-up truck took the back of the car out at about 5 miles per hour, which is ridiculous. But it could have been a lot worse, and he admitted it all and it's all fixed now.

 

And now we have moved we actually have more money, the house was more expensive than our old one, but the mortgage is cheaper! So for the first time in about 7 years I have some new clothes and we can treat the boys to things like ice creams which we never could before. It's all good, fingers crossed I haven't cursed it all now!