World Book Day - The finished articles

A long overdue post but one I want to mark just to prove I did it!

What do most parents dread receiving a lot? The letter home from school saying that the next week there is a dress up day for World Book Day - and into the equation that I had a baby 5 days earlier and you get a sense of how pleased I was to hear this news.

I love books and can't wait until the girls really get a sense of enjoyment from being lost in a book - M at 8 is getting there but I swear if I find her reading another Horrid Henry book I will scream.

I was certainly in no position to race to the shops myself to buy outfits and if anyone knows my sewing skills you will know that making a costume was not an option either. M decided to take it upon herself to ring my Mum who is a whizz with some fabric and thread and order a Dorothy costume - She had it all worked out around her fabulous ruby slippers that she happens to have in her wardrobe. Luckily, Mum was very willing and the photo shows the finished article. M wasn't that impressed at having to wear a white top inside out so a small pattern doesn't show but the ensemble looked fab!

V (aged 4) definitely knows her own mind and after suggestions of Winnie the Witch, the witch from Room on the Broom & Tinkerbell still insisted on being Snow White (the outfit was a little tight being aged 3-4) but at least its a character from a book we have.

I loved picking the girls up from school that day and seeing everyone's efforts - I am still puzzled though by the child that was Hannah Montana - don't remember that book.

Did you take part and what as? What's the best and worst costume that you saw?

The Gallery - Simple Pleasures - Family

I have only just got round to checking this week's Gallery entries and find that I am number 100 in the list. The theme this week is Simple Pleasures - For me there is nothing nicer than being surrounded by good company and my photo entry is of my family when they were introduced to Baby T last week - Aged 3 days.

My OH is missing from the pic as he is behind the camera and I am looking less than my best but it was such a lovely evening I couldn't not include this photo.

Introducing Tara Beatrice - The First 2 weeks

The Costello Crew have a new member - our darling little girl was born on 20th February and is absolutely perfect. Tara Beatrice is a welcome little sister for her 2 older sisters who are looking forward to many years of fun together.

Tara has settled well into our household - she has received lots of visitors and once again we are amazed by how generous people are with their presents. She is very patient as we keep calling Tara, V as we are used to calling her 4yo sister.

On Day 3, OH had to return to work and the next day I developed an infection. Cue, the most AMAZING friends a person could ever have - We were so well looked after - with lunch being brought, shopping being done, photos being taken and even Baby T being bathed.

Biggest sister, M has been an absolute star - never once complaining when she is asked to fetch items and always being ready for a cuddle with T. Middle sister, V loves T very much and even wanted to kiss her tongue one night!

By the end of week 2, T has met all 9 of her cousins and has even been to a swimming lesson, visited a pub and attended a swimming gala - the life of a 3rd child. She is very popular at school and behaved perfectly at the school fashion show. Auntie Cara has kindly done 2 photo shoots - Evidence of which can be found here.

Life for M & V has been just as busy with World Book Day on Thursday (M had a fabulous Dorothy outfit made by Nanna and V was a beautiful Snow White - Photos to come!) On Tuesday, V had a visit to A&E with a huge bump on her forehead after falling off a kitchen stool - The proof of this will forever be on the school photo taken the next morning!

The next week holds in store lots more fun and lots more visitors - T is already growing out of outfits but continues to be a tiny 7lb and very beautiful - we are feeling VERY lucky.

The Gallery - Shapes

A difficult one this week for Tara Cain's Gallery - we were set the challenge of SHAPES. From looking through my log of photos (which to be honest are full of cakes and children!) I came across this little gem. This is what the Costellos get up to when they arrive back from a night out - no doubt after a port & lemon or two! Let's draw around your husband on the drive with chalk - doesn't everyone?

Look Who's Back!

Another milestone in the Costello Family - The Biff, Chip and Kipper reading books are back. Just when the pain had diminished from when the 8YO read them, it starts all over again with the 4YO.

These books have been going for decades as most parents will know - Oh I wish I was more excited about these family members returning to the fold!

Bellies!

Well I'm still sticking to my resolutions mentioned in my last post so as part of that here is my Gallery entry for this week. Tara Cain of Sticky Fingers set the challenge of Body Parts.

There is one particular body part of mine that is quite prominent at the moment being 33 weeks pregnant but for no-one am I allowing it to be photographed - There are no specific shots of my bump during any of my 3 pregnancies. But there will be lots of the baby so hopefully that makes up for it. So that's my entry for this week Bellies!

I love this pic of my little V showing her belly and hope that she is always as proud of it - I have to say I'm particularly proud of how clean and tidy my living room looks too! V is now 4 and quite frequently strips off - wouldn't you if you had that body?

Happy New Year - Whats in store for 2011

Well its Twelve Night and by now all decorations are more than likely to have been packed away, trees taken to the tip (or maybe still in the back garden like we did in 2009) - I hear a lot of people talking about how they are not making resolutions as they will only break them but I love the feeling of something new happening and lots of hope for the year ahead.

I have chosen quite general and loose resolutions for this year as at the end of February we are expecting our 3rd child and who knows what chaos that may bring.

My first resolutions has really come about as a result of being on maternity leave (well, once I have handed in my tax return!) - I will be doing less of my day job of making cakes and in a funny way feel so much freer even knowing that everywhere I go I will have someone small to accompany me and I will have a lot less income. I am very lucky to have a wide circle of friends and thoroughly intend on spending a lot more time with them this year - Be warned and have the kettle on!

For the last half of 2010 I severely lost my reading mojo - I love reading but find if anything changes significantly in my life it is the first thing that suffers (unfortunately I don't stop wanting to buy books so have cupboards and cupboards full of books taunting me) - I am resisting the temptation to join a structured reading countdown but hope for at least 2 a month- got to ease myself in gently!

This will also be the year of being exhausted but hopefully a bit fitter - I intend on walking to school a lot with my pram which should shift a bit of baby weight - once again I am not tying myself down to a particular weight - I have never been that fixated with what I 'should' be but would like to fit into the majority of my wardrobe which is currently shouting at me whilst wearing maternity marquees.

The last of my resolutions is about my online life - the secret life that a lot of my real life friends don't know about and definately don't understand. Blogs in St Helens are not exactly common place and on the odd occasion that I have tried to explain about both my blogs I get vacant glazes. I am booked to attend Cybermummy11 and am muchly looking forward to meeting other bloggers. I am well aware that this blog needs a lot of TLC so watch this space during 2011.

And that's me for now - have you made any resolutions/aims for the year? I am now going to have to search for an appropriate photo to use for this post which reminds me of another resolution...take more pics - hopefully aided by the new camera we are due to receive in Jan.