Nyla Macey Hughes

Hello again!!!

It's been too long since we updated the blog which is a shame as Curtis has been doing so much and having such fun, as well as keeping us smiling. He is now 3.5 years old and is doing all the things we'd expect him to at that age.

He still attends his nursery 4 days/week but from April this year he also started 'big nursery' at big school which he totally took in his stride after just a brief settling in session. He goes 3-4 afternoons each week and is gradually making new friends there but is still most settled at his regular nursery with best friend Morven and spends an increasing amount of time with the slightly older boys Kyle, William and Lewis who are all obsessed with superheros, pirates and fireman.

Curtis loves dressing up - most recent obsession is Spiderman - he was delighted last week to receive a spiderman cap from nanna and taid and said 'wow, I will wear it every day'. He loves the spiderman pants Anutie Deborah bought him and this all ties in perfectly with his insistance on wearing his favourite colour Red most of the time.

Today we are having a lazy day at home, about to cook some filo pastry 'boreks' and mango muffins. Curtis has been watching Breakdance championships DVD and managed to create himself a breakdance outfit of joggies, T shirt, baseball boots and the all important cap worn backwards....I've managed to convince him breakdancers eat chicken adn sweetcorn soup to get him though his lunch too - great! You did know Spidermans favourite foood is brocolli didnt you?

Bought him a fantatsic 'French is Fun' card game, CD and DVD set and he is loving it all, quite to my surprise. Serge the monkey and Pascale the parrot DVD has not been off the TV since we got it and he is pickign up a few words. Not fussed about that so much as him just understanding that other languages are there and not to be scared of them as I was at school.

Tomorrow we are off to swimming lessons then in pm to a childrens show with Morven and her parents. I'm keen to do as much as we can with Curtis in the next few months as we are expecting another baby in early November and I know we'll not have as much time to do it then.

Thanks to Nanna and Taid, Uncle Tim and Deborah we all had a great holiday in Portugal a few weeks ago, lots of good weather, good food and fun. Curtis was so much easier than last year too, and had a bit of a holiday romance!! Just happened to find that a couple we knew with baby same age when Curtis was born were staying at the same resort - we hadn't seem them for 1.5 years since we moved, so this was a welcoome reunion, Curtis and Milli making the most of days in the pool and nights dancing for hours in the restaurant. They were hilarious dancing together, so confidend and funny, Milli so girly with her twirls and spins and Curtis very much the guy hands on hips and a spot of breakdancing too -magic. Wish our camera hadn't broken...grrrr!

Well, I've no idea if anyone reads this anymore but thats our up-date just now - it's still nice for us t keep a record of changing events, hope to add some photyos soon, Steph

Not Again!!!

After 6 full on days of snow we finally had some relief Saturday and Sunday as we saw some thaw and managed with 5 hrs+ of digging to find parts of our driveway again. I rather hopefully dug a route from our bins in back garden to the drive, tho I dont think we will actually get the bins emptied for some weeks yet. No snow fell Sunday so we thought we may even get to drive to work and get Curtis to nursery Monday morning...but, early on it begun to snow again and has only just stopped about 2.45pm Monday afternoon! It has left us another 8cm of snow. We have had staff stranded on buses for hours as the raods went to gridlock and others who havent managed in at all. Everyone is getting tired of it now...apart from one wee blondie who says he loves the snow...'because we get to stay inside and play all day'. And, here he is now...with a new boook to read....oh, it's the very hungry caterpillar...thank goodness, thats a change from The Forgetful Little Fireman....we're off for afternoon snack aad story....byeeee...S&C xx

Brrrrrrrrrrrr...

For the 1st time in a week we witnessed a slight thaw, as the snow ladden gutters began to drip. A slight rise in tempertaure alone wont remove the snow from ours cars tho' so we spend Friday evening digging them out, hoping that the weekend brings us closer to getting back to normal. Hope not to be walking into work next week too. Just before the snow fell Curtis chose this little xmas decoration for our house......seems his wish came true!! just a bit!

Quite literally knee deep in snow! (or waist deep if you are only 2 yrs!)

where did our garden go?

Seat anyone?

Here are a few pictures taken at our house today. We have had almost continual snowfall since Saturday afternoon. Luckily it hasn't frozen much but the sheer depth of snow means we have not been able to move cars, or walk far for a few days now. Our shop was closed Monday as we could not get out and the past 2 days it's been over an hours walk in to get there. No let up in sight either!

It's maybe 1.5feet of snow on our decking, nearly up to back window, and despite cars and drive being cleared Monday and again Tuesday, these pics from today show them covered all over again. So far, so good though. Curtis is off nursery, one of us staying at home with him each day....a snow racing car, and snow xmas tree as well as snowman built to keep him amused, though he is happiest in the warm, as doesn't have much liking for wind, rain, snow....lucky boy being born in scotland then! Hope everyone else is coping okay in the weather - and no comment from you now Lee, we don't want to know how warm and toasty Sydney is the noo! :-)


Compare the snow from xmas day last year to this week in november. Now we cant even get on the decking and today the snow is as high as the bench behind Gareth in last years photo, and therefore just 2 inches from our dining room window!!! Its beautiful soft powdery snow though, light and fluffy....just praying we dont get the big icy freeze next.

Some people have still tried to drive down our street!! Many have had to be dug out, pushed, and heaps of cars abandoned.

1.5ft of snow on decking ....... quite tempted to just jump in it tomorrow!

Oops, we seem to have lost Gareth!

Snow covered after being completely cleared 24 hours earlier.

Jamie and Dan visit

Curtis was very excited in November when Jamie, Dan and Milli came to stay for the weekend. Delighted to have someone to show his halloween costumes to and loved the big walk we had on the beach with Milli on Sunday. We managed a picnic at the beach as it was bright and not quite as chilly as might otherwise be in November, but Curtis did feel at some disadvantage when Dan offered him a game of golf! Big hugs and kisses for everyone when they left. Ahhhhh :)

happy halloween!

Forth Bridge and Green Beans!

If you're ever looking to clear your mind... and your sinuses!...we'd recommend a jog across the forth road bridge! Great views too and we found some lovely wild raspberries on the way back...




It was a bit nippy, so Curtis stayed snuggled in his pushchair with his face to the inside much fo the time just so that he could breath! Then we went for a stroll around North Queensferry, and played in the park.

Mmmmmm...apples and beans...

'I wonder what will happen if I put my finger in the end of this hose' thought Curtis

Hahahahahaha....that's funny....

I think I'll do that again!

...and again...

...and again...

...although this is a more effective way of getting wet!

...ooh I'm nearly as tall as the tower now!

Hmmmm....if I wear my pirates scarf as a cape...I become....

SUPERDUCK!!!!