the siblings project {march}

This past month has certainly been one of changes. In fact, while I normally feel like time flies from one month to the next, and that when time comes to do a post for The Siblings Project I've barely finished doing the last one... thats definitely not the case this time. Last month's photos feel like there were take absolutely ages ago. We were into the last days in our first home, and change loomed on the horizon. Well change has happened. And not just the obvious big change of address... things have changed between my trio this month too.

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home life project {march}

I already feel stupidly nostalgic looking back at last month's Home Life Project post, because as much as I knew that we'd sold our house and would be moving, it didn't really feel real. It didn't feel real on moving day either. And if I stop and think about it, it still doesn't feel real now. 

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these three {week six}

He is six... SIX! Six sounds so much bigger than five (but then I think I've said that every year). It was a birthday all about things for his new bedroom when we move, and lots and lots of information books; which might sound kind of dull and boring to most kids, but was exactly what this kid wanted.   He was so kind and polite even whilst being the centre of attention on his birthday; not forgetting a single thank-you, and making sure his sisters helped out and felt included. He honestly makes me so proud, he's growing up to be such a gent. 

She had a nasty bug of some sort mid week (which her brother had a few days before) which completely wiped her out, poor thing. She's not often poorly and definitely has the strongest immune system of the three, so it feels really heartbreaking to see her so sad and feeble. But fortunately she fought it quick and is super excited about having a week off of preschool, and more importantly, a week with Dylan off of school to play with her.

This little munchkin seems to be growing up in leaps and bounds lately; she's made that transition from being a big baby who was just starting to walk, into full blown toddler mode. She's pushed my buttons a bit this week too, with some epic wobblers, and just generally constantly looking out for trouble, whilst being allergic to the word "no". Good job she's cute, and has a smile that could melt ice.

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home life project {february}

If you're not in the mood for sentimental, then it's probably best to look away now.... okay, I warned you! 

One of the reasons I am excited to be doing Home Life Project this year, is to track those subtle changes in our everyday family life over this year. I know that by December, the games that were favourites in January, the clothes the children wore in April, and the faces of my little three will all have changed; maybe only a little, maybe a lot. But a year is a long time when you're little, and it's nice to record these moments and acknowledge those changes. 

But that isn't the only sort of change this year brings. Amongst all the little changes in our ordinary life that these monthly posts will record, there is also a big change. 

This month is the last one in our first family home.

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these three {week five}

Dylan is so excited about his upcoming birthday that I think he might just combust. He's been counting down the days for the past month, and he can't wait to have his chocolate birthday cake and Nanny's rice krispie crunch; as per his birthday traditions. I simply cannot believe that at this point six years ago he was still lurking in my belly, about to rock my world in the most amazing way imaginable. 

I look at Everly lately, and I wonder when it was that she suddenly grew up. She just looks so big all of a sudden. I feel like in the months before he started school, her big brother still looked like a toddler, whereas this little lady would pass for a school girl more comfortably than she does a preschooler. Having said that, she told an epic fib to get herself sent home from preschool last week, and completely played everyone... so she's either got a lot to learn about growing up, or she's already a bit of a genius!

It goes without saying that younger siblings look up to the older ones, but Quinny just totally worships her big bro and sis at the moment. She'll chase them from room to room, desperate to be with them, to join in their games - even when those games are too fast or too complicated or just too crazy for her to fully join in with. She's also turned into a bit of a bookworm overnight, and emptying books onto her sisters bed so she can sit and 'read' them to herself, is one of her favourite things to do. 

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these three {week four}

The map obsession continues with this one; old maps, new maps, artistic maps, technical maps, globes, poster... he's not fussy, and he'll spend hours staring at them and taking it all in, finding the countries and cities that interest him most, talking about what continent they belong to. He gave us a bit of scare too this week, when what seemed like a simple cold suddenly left him gasping for breath; a call to out of hours resulted in a visit from an ambulance, but fortunately it wasn't anything too serious and he's bounced back quickly.

She's always been such a walking contradiction; she can be a total wild child, bouncing from crazy game to crazy game, singing a song, pretending to be a popstar, while bouncing on the bed in a cloud of messy hair and noise. But she can also be so incredibly grown up, sensitive and caring. This week I sent her to collect her shoes, ready to head home from my mums, and she came back with her shoes and my nan's walking stick... simply because she knew G.Nan was going home too, and she thought she would want it. Totally unprompted. She just seems to be in tune to peoples' needs and feelings in a way that is wise beyond her years. 

This little sunshine is such a total hoot to be around at the moment. Just in this past week she has worked out how to climb up onto the sofa, has learnt to blow kisses, and has given about a million cuddles. Having never shown any interest whatsoever in the television, she's suddenly showing a fondness for The Teletubbies, and for good old Mr Tumble. And speaking of fondness, she's head over heels in love with her cat Kit; every nap and night time in the past week, we've found them snuggled up together... and of the million cuddles she's doled out this week, he's easily been on the receiving end of half. 

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these three {week three}

This guy... I know for a fact he knows more countries and capital cities that I do, and I'm pretty sure everything that I know about planets I learnt from him. I have no idea how he manages to remember so much! He's been busy with some sort of birthday party marathon lately, but this past week included a Jump Street party, and ones with an old school disco and party games; both of which were apparently 'the' best party ever.

She has got the funniest little sense of humour on her, this one. She just seems to have this way about her that keeps us all smiling. Except at meal times... at the moment meal times are trying. Not because she's a fussy eater - she eats most things we put in front of her - but because she just takes soooo looooong to eat. Hopefully she'll speed up a bit before she starts school, or she'll lose her entire lunch time looking at her dinner.

What can I say about this little smasher that I haven't said a hundred times before? She's just amazing. She's getting a bit of a temper on her, and can throw the most impressively dramatic strops if you give her the last raisin and don't magically produce more. But she's also getting funnier and cheekier by the day. And she's so incredibly affectionate; she loves grabbing our necks and pulling us in for a cuddle, and if Dylan or Everly are upset they get constant hugs and strokes and "ahhhh"s until they are smiling again.

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these three {week two}

Well what a week it's been for this one. He's had his first full week back at school, and has moved up yet another reading level, received his first rosettes, and won the dancing competition at a birthday party (he was the absolute best, I saw it myself!!!). And all while he's been feeling a little under the weather. This kid is total pro!

She spent her christmas money on a Moana lego set and has been obsessed with it ever since. She absolutely adores singing with her brother to the 'Lava' short Disney film, it's the cutest thing! Oh and the final deadline has passed for school applications, so we're now officially in that long wait to see that she got into school. How is this baby going to school this year?

Our little Quinny is back and firing on all cylinders after weeks of poorliness. She's started properly hugging us this week; grabbing us around the necks and pulling in close while saying "ahhhhh". And we get kisses, big wet open mouthed ones. She says hello now too (it sounds more like "hay-low") although she happily uses it for both greetings and goodbyes. And she's basically been a human dustbin, eating everything in sight, so she's clearly having a little growth spurt. 

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home life project {january}

2017 will be a year of change for us. Looming on the horizon now is our impending house move. Still so far away that it doesn't seem quite real yet, but coming up fast none the less. This year with see Everly start school, yet another big and important milestone which seems to be racing up to meet us a little faster than I'm fully prepared for. I know from experience that this second year for Quinny, will change her so much; while still a baby now, she really won't seem that way in the not too distant future. Life does hurry on, doesn't it? And it's so exciting, but I do find myself grabbing at it, trying to keep a hold of it; not to slow it down, but just to make sure I took it all in, enjoyed it, remembered it.

These four walls have known our family forever. They could tell our whole story. And it is a strange, "end of an era" type of feeling, to know that we will be moving on soon, to write our stories in different walls instead. And it makes me want to bottle up this time, to keep it safe. Will my children remember living here? In this first place that they called home. In the place where we went from two, to four, then five, six and seven. It was just Rich and I once upon a time. But two fluffy babies, and three human babies later we've definitely created one hell of a story from these walls, we've created a family.

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these three {week one}

He was so excited to get back to school, and apparently spent his first day back "having lots of chats". He has been loving making a solar system model from a kit he got for Christmas. He is such a perfectionist and has such high expectations of himself, but he's such a sensitive little soul sometimes; and I know exactly where he gets it from, and sometimes when he's being really hard on himself I wish I could take that feeling away.

She has the most creative little mind, watching her at play you never really quite know where it will all end up. She loves mothering her new Rapunzel doll, it's rare we see one without the other at the moment. She uses the most hilariously high pitched voice when she's playing with her baby sister; its a stereotypical baby voice, but it just sounds so funny to hear my big girl (who is still so little really) pretending to be such a grown up. 

She has been so poorly since before Christmas, and it's broken our hearts to see our happy little sunshine looking so sad. She like sunshine and rain though, because she has recently started throwing the most epic little wobblers. She loves all food; she's seriously like a human dustbin, and she'll stand in the kitchen pointing at cupboards or pots demanding whatever takes her fancy; except mash potato - mash potato is the food of the devil, apparently.

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me and mine {april}

Daddy is loving

* having fun on the farm.

* the baby scan.

* a day in Amsterdam.

* date night at Chop Bloc.

* catching up with relatives in Rhyl.

Mummy is loving

* seeing Flump for the first time.

* that the beautiful boy got into the school we wanted.

* watching the beautiful girl play so imaginatively.

* that the sunshine has come to play.

* afternoon adventures in fields of yellow.

The beautiful boy is loving

* telling everyone that Mummy has a baby in her tummy.

* telling everybody that he is going to big school.

* naming Flump either Jon or Kate depending on whether its a brother or sister.

* reading anything he can get his hands on.

* his new shark t-shirt.

The beautiful girl is loving

* early morning sleepy cuddles.

* eating cottage pie.

* playing fairies and pirates.

* singing! All. The. Time.

* wearing jelly shoes.

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me and mine {january}

Daddy is loving

* having time with the wifey in Somerset.

* listening to the Royal Blood album.

* eating mini eggs by the bag load.

* how excited the kids got at the sight of some snow.

* playing Call of Duty multiplayer.

Mummy is loving

* watching The Vampire Diaries and Scandal.

* having an amazing night away courtesy of i-escape.

* reading The Mortal Instruments series.

* doing yoga.

* going on weekly adventures.

The beautiful boy is loving

* telling everyone that it's going to be his birthday soon.

* having 'proper big boy reading books' from preschool.

* dipping tortilla chips in Mummy's speciality mexican soup. 

* playing Disney Jr Play on the iPad.

* visiting the castle in Colchester.

The beautiful girl is loving

* singing and dancing to Shake It Off by Taylor Swift and Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars.

* her new big girl bed.

* eating "chocat eggs".

* wearing her wooly hat because it "really windy".

* playing hide-and-seek under her towel after bath time.

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siblings in 2015

Last year, seeing all the beautiful sibling moments linked up with Siblings each month was a real highlight of mine. A warm and fuzzy kind of highlight, full of the love and the friendship of siblings, but also the push and pull that relationship so often entails. It didn't seem to matter what the gender or age gap or age of the children, whether they were snaps taken on a phone camera, or beautiful portraits taken with a fancy DSLR; all the photos seem to show the same thing... what a beautiful and precious relationship it is to have.

I, for one, can't wait to get stuck into another year of monthly photos of my two together. Throughout 2014 their relationship really blossomed and grew into something that at times manages to take my breath away, and documenting that is so close to my heart... I want them to have these memories to look back at and laugh over together as they grow older.

This year to make it easier to remember to take your photos and to also help bring a real sense of community, we are launching a Siblings community page on Facebook. We'll be sharing photos and inspiration, reminding you when the 15th is fast approaching (oh yes and we're moving to the 15th of each month this year by the way), and we'd love you to be a part of it. So like the page and be sure to share your photos and your links each month. And if you aren't a blogger then you can join in at the Facebook page too, by sharing your favourite sibling photos on the page's wall and taking part each month without the need for a blog.

And if you're taking part on twitter or instagram then be sure to use #thesiblingsproject so that we can see all your photos there too.

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an autumn stroll

I kind of feel like a stuck record for saying it, but family photos really do mean the world to me. There is something so incredibly precious and priceless about capturing a moment in time, especially when that moment includes children, who seem to have this tendency to change and grow so fast.

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me and mine {august}

Daddy is loving
* the new football season.
* a day out at Cadbury World.
* how excited the beautiful boy is about reading.
* going paint balling.
* the little lady's cheeky faces.

Mummy is loving
* the cute little chats we can have with the beautiful girl now.
* swimming and how great it feels to be in the water.
* planning a little makeover in the children's room.
* how excited the little man is about starting preschool.
* being offered her dream job.

The beautiful boy is loving
* reading, reading and more reading.
* a day out with Mummy in London; visiting an empty Hamleys, lunch at Planet Hollywood and Ripley's Believe It Or Not.
* singing 'Brothers and Sisters' by Twin Atlantic.
* dead heading the flowers and feeding the birds in Nanny's garden.
* kissing and cuddling everybody all the time.

The beautiful girl is loving
* dancing… at every possible opportunity.
* playing anything to do with babies.
* loganberry jam on toast.
* feeding herself with a "spooooon".
* everything to with fairies, Lady and Tramp.

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me and mine {july}

Daddy is loving

* going back to 'where it all began'.

* visiting Helsinki for work.

* reading books more.

* eating Bobby Bangers at Jimmy's Farm Sausage and Beer Festival.

* watching Hannibal.

Mummy is loving

* the sunshine.

* an amazing long weekend in Scarborough walking down memory lane.

* the beautiful girl talking more and more, and saying "Mummy" finally.

* watching The Vampire Diaries (it's my new guilty pleasure.)

* that we've been married for five years today!

The beautiful boy is loving

* learning to read.

* playing 2p machines in the arcades with Daddy.

* having picnics.

* a day at the farm with his best buddy.

* throwing… even when he isn't supposed to.

The beautiful girl is loving

* monkeys and pirates.

* saying everyone's names, repeatedly.

* eating bananas.

* running free on the beach.

* cuddles with Blossom and Bibi.

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me and mine {june}

Daddy is loving

* the beautiful girl shouting "GOAL!" whenever she sees a ball.

* driving a golf buggy at Bluestone.

* playing football with the beautiful boy.

* watching the World Cup.

* having a go at laser clay shooting.

Mummy is loving

* her new camera!

* our amazing holiday at Bluestone.

* the new cosmetics birthday goodies.

* a weekend in London with the hubby.

* a perfect day spent on the beach in Pembrokeshire.

The beautiful boy is loving

* going on adventures on a golf buggy.

* singing Coldplay's 'Magic'.

* feeding the ducks.

* paddling his feet in the sea as soon as he gets to the beach.

* bug hunting.

The beautiful girl is loving

* going to her first ballet class.

* playing with a bucket and spade at the seaside.

* shouting "minkey" whenever she sees a monkey.
* watching Baby Jake and singing along.

* her new ballerina bunny, Bibi.

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me and mine {may}

Daddy is loving...

* going to the gym.

* catching up with family at the scouse wedding.

* riding roller coasters at Alton Towers.

* finally playing football again after a year.

* going on the water slides at Splash Landings with the little man.

Mummy is loving...

* having an amazing weekend together at Alton Towers.

* being a finalist in the video category of the Brilliance in Blogging awards.

* watching her little water babies enjoying swimming.

* everybody getting all dressed up for a family wedding in Wales.

* that the hubby has gone back to using an old aftershave from when they got together.

The beautiful boy is loving...

* going to Splash Landings water park.

* eating risotto.

* riding on the pirate ship at Alton Towers.

* jumping, jumping and more jumping.

* watching videos of our adventures.

The beautiful girl is loving...

* chocolate... always chocolate.

* emptying the book case and 'reading' all the books.

* saying more words and smiling at the great reaction she gets.

* splashing in Nanny's hot tub and at Splash Landings water park.

* walking on tiptoe like a dancer.

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him and her {week twenty}

he never stands still, even for a minute,

is obsessed with maps and loves to look at them and point things out,

and wants to do everything by himself unless he's asked for help.

she can empty a bookcase in the time it takes you to make lunch,

completely refuses to listen when you tell her "no", simply smiling at you instead,

and is a total firecracker who makes us laugh everyday.

5

him and her {week nineteen}

he loves a really good 'squeeze cuddle',

can learn the words to songs after just a couple of plays,

and would play on bouncy slides all day long if he could.

she is so totally fearless and full of fun,

will stare innocently and give you a coy smile if you say "no" to her,

and adores "chocat" more than anything on earth.

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