Cousins weekend

Smile Dominic
Originally uploaded by Ella's Ma.

We had a fun weekend this weekend. First we watched Willy Wonka (the old fasioned one) because we just finished reading the book so Daddy bought it for us. Clare stayed in our house. She's done that before but before Emma and Jamie stayed too. This time she stayed on her own, like a big girl. It was fun. She learned that there are lots of interesting things on an iPhone, including music that can put you to sleep when you don't think you need a nap.

Also that when there are two other girls running around, you can get away with quite a lot before it s noticed. Mammy learned (or remembered) that there's no point her pretending she's actually going to watch a rugby match on tv when we are around - she can pretend but she doesn't get much time looking at the screen. Dominic came too to watch his first rugby match with us. He didn't seem overly interested in it. He did some sleeping and feeding - I think he still prefers those to rugby and he definitely prefers it to being manhandled by us.

I helped Clare to eat her dinner. I guess it's because I'm such a good example myself!!! Anyway she seemed to like it. She loves the first three spoonfuls from everyone but after that, she definitely likes a change. While Mammy put Clare to bed, Riodhna and me watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with Daddy. But Riodhna was so tired from the day running around that she fell asleep on the couch and didn't see much of it. It's a long film so I'll have to watch the rest another day.

This morning we came downstairs instead of watching cartoons in mammy and daddy's room. And we played all morning long (and watched a few cartoons with Clare too). It's nice to just hang out.

Happy Blog-iversary Ella

faces 09
Originally uploaded by Ella's Ma.

My big sister has been blogging for 5 years now. I've only be able to help her out for the last 2 years and 10 months. And in June, we're going to get a new little blogger in the family. We're quite excited about that. Mammy has quite a big bump now and she can feel the new baby kicking but we can't feel it yet. We are planning on getting in loads of practice between now and June though. What with Dominic and then Emma and Jamie's new baby in April. We'll be old hands by the time ours arrives.

Visiting DDJ

now all smile
Originally uploaded by Ella's Ma.

So today we finally got to go visit baby Dominic. He is more than a whole week old now. And he hadn't seen us at all. So we were very impatient to get there.

He seems to be settling in well in his house. He has a really comfy chair - we both know how comfy it is. He likes his cats - although Bagpuss is the only one getting really close to him at the moment. Lori was hiding upstairs. But I did get to play with Tyra too. And to help eat the cakes we brought - one of th great things about visiting.

Mammy forgot to ask if I could hold him today. But she promises to ask Jill if I can the next time we see him.

Let it snow

Made it
Originally uploaded by Ella's Ma.

Wow, it's been a snowy week. I've been to creche 3 days this week but Ella hasn't even been back to school because the yard is too slippy. Still she has to walk with Johanna to collect me every day and then we have to slip and slide our way back home again. It's been sort of snowing all the time since New Year's Eve. But last night we had the most snow. Baby Dominic Dermot Jordan must have brought it with him when he arrived yesterday evening but he's still in hospital today so he can't even enjoy it with us.

So this morning we decided we had to go somewhere proper to play in the snow. We went to meet Susan and Peter and Louis. Although Louis didn't get out of his buggy. To tell you the truth I wasn't paying too much attention to what anyone else was doing. Because I was busy toboganning down the hill in the park on my inflatable dinghy and when I got to the bottom, I walked straight back up and did it again. I kept Daddy busy at the bottom catching me to make sure I didn't fly into the river. The other kids all took turns too but I definitely had the most turns.

We did other stuff too. Like snow angels. And best of all, drinking hot chocolate that Noreen brought with her for when our hands got cold and wet from the snow. We tried pushing the snow together for a snowman too but our hands got very very cold. There were loads of other kids there too and mostly everyone agreed the hill was the best place to play.

Our new cousin: Dominic Dermot Jordan

Remembers this from 30 yrs ago
Originally uploaded by Ella's Ma.

Vital Statistics
Born 8th January 2010 at 18:39
8 lbs
A boy!!!
With lots of dark hair
Very, very cute
We're going to help look after him (for as long as he lets us)

We're going to meet him next Saturday. Yippee!

Congratulations Jill and Mark xx

Happy 2010 - He's behind you

he's behind you
Originally uploaded by Ella's Ma.

Yes, it's a whole new year. And the Crumps were here to help us to celebrate that. So our new year started very well - with lots of fun and chaos at home, and then a huge treat of going to the panto and then we all went out for food together although as we had been eating all afternoon and had been up late last night, it wasn't the most food we've ever eaten.

We all loved the panto. There was loads of music and dancing. My favourite bits were all the music and dancing bits. The panto fairy was on roller skates and now we're going around saying "oompa, loompa, stick it up your jumper" which is a bit different to Ríodhna's magic spell she was using before. Monica bought us flashing lights to annoy everyone with. I got a light sword like the boys and Ríodhna got one that looks like a magic wand and twirls round and round. Last year Ríodhna fell asleep at the panto but this year, although she was a little bit tired she was far too interested in what was going on to have a snooze.

It was a good way to start another exciting year.

Tea for 2 and Lulu

Tea for 2 and Lulu
Originally uploaded by Ella's Ma

Wow, we love Christmas. We didn't wake up too early and then we went in to Mammy and Daddy and waited for them to go downstairs - we didn't have to wait long. I think they are excited about Christmas too.

You should see all the stuff Santa brought us this year. Riodhna asked Santa for Rose Petal Cottage and he brought it with loads of other stuff like DVDs and books and best of all for her was a Diego set because he's her favouite.

I got Lulu kitten that I saw on the Late Late Toy Show. I don't know why it's called that when we watched it in the morning! We both ate our breakfast this morning the fastest we've ever eaten it because Mammy said we could open another present when we finished. You've never seen weetabix disappear so fast.

Mammó and Ross are staying with us. This year Jamie and Emma and Clare are in Australia. Jill and Mark stayed in their own house for the night but they were in our house by the time we came back from Mass. Lulu was nice and quiet in church for us. You can spend all of Christmas Day opening presents and playing with them. And we got lovely cool clothes too. You definitely don't have time to watch your DVDs or those things that day.

There was loads of food too. Mammó stuffed the turkey and Mammy cooked the roast potatoes - the kind Ross likes, he gets very fussy if you have the wrong kind like last year when it took him a year to get over it. But she forgot about the yorkshire puddings so it'll take Daddy a year to get over that. We ate our dinner which was surprising given how many tea parties we had had in Rose Petal Cottage.

Today, to relax, we went to Jill and Mark's house and we all watched Mary Poppins which was one of Mammy's Christmas presents while eating the chocolates from their Christmas tree. Now that Christmas is over, Jill and Mark's new baby is the next exciting thing.