onicox's blog

We're back! (at last would say some of you). We were pretty busy which explain our silence and to make sure I don't miss any detail (you know me by now), I am going to start from where I stopped: our Easter Holidays to Strasbourg.
It was over a year ago the last time we went and we had a lot of people to see and a lot of things to celebrate.
First of all, Arthur's birthday who for the first time celebrated with his family instead of his friends. As it was a last minute organised celebration, everybody couldn't come, but we were already quite a lot and he has been spoiled:



Then during Easter weekend, we had the Carlucci family party which consists to get the most Carlucci members from the same ancestor (Marc great-grand father). In total, we are 187 peoples and there were 87 at the party:



Arthur thought it was still his party as the name of the party was Carlucci party!!!

Then we saw our family in small group, our friends...(To see the pictures of our friend on the site, you have to ask me for a password by email)



After two weeks we were completely knackered, but pleased to see (almost) everybody. We travelled by train this time and it was fantastic:

Arthur has been invited to a birthday party this month every weekend.
It's started with the one of Charlotte, my colleague's daughter who turned 3:






Then, James one of his friend at nursery celebrated his 4 years with a theme knight and princesses. There was a Clown show that Arthur participated:








Then, the one of Sterling, an other friend of his from nursery. It took place in a fire station and the theme was caveman and dinosaurs:







Then the one of Olwen, his birth friend:

Sunday, we invited some friends and their children to celebrate Rémi's birthday.
Unfortunately, a lot of them cancelled at the last minute and only one mum with her three children turn up.
It was nice to be in a small number. Arthur played well with Ethan and Emily and Rémi played well next to Lewis.

Rémi loved his chocolate cake.

Arthur, as a good big brother helped him to open his present and blow his candle.

After the wedding's breakfast, we went straight away to Portsmouth to sleep on the boat.
Arthur was all exited by that all week and with Marc he was counting down the days on a piece of paper. Unfortunately for him, when we arrived he was fast asleep!!!
We arrived to Nantes Saturday lunch time. My mother and sister took Arthur with them to the beach. Marc sat on the grass with Rémi and me, I slept under a tree. Heaven!!
The next day, we went to my cousin-in-law's night club to party.
Officially, there weren't any reason, but we did celebrate my brother and 3 of my cousin's 40th birthday.

Arthur played with his huge amount of cousin (20!!) and Rémi too (2):

Unfortunately the evening ended with some difficulties. Arthur got hay fever and he coughed a lot and his eyes were really watery and Rémi reacted badly to the heat and went to bed with 40 degree fever.

The next day, we left around lunch time to catch the boat.
Weekend too short, but it did good to see all the family after 3 years!

It's DD's turn. We went to Bining in Lorraine via Stansted-Zweibrucken line!!
Arthur loved taking the plane.
Over there, they announced their second pregnancy, great!! We can't wait to meet Dutschke number 2!

I thought I will have more time to post more often, but I was wrong!
Time flies really quickly! I am taking care of Arthur on Monday and Friday all day, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday he goes to the childminder for 6 hours which are these hours which go the quickest. I am taking the time on my own to prepare the baby's arrival, to do everything I can't do when Arthur is around and all the things I would like to do before the baby comes and takes even more of my time!
So, May is already gone and June has well started!
In the event which took place the past month:
- we enjoyed a really hot week end mid-may to go to the paddling pool and see some beautiful old cars. That same day, we had the pleasure to make one of our first BBQ with some new friends from Wallingford, Will (the Australian father), Belinda (the English mother), Lizzie (2 and half years old) and James (14 months)
- our friends, JB and Mimi, came to spend two days and one night at home with their children before to go back to Strasbourg.
- we went to do a 36 weeks scan to make sure that the placenta is not in front of the exit any more, which is the case, so I can have a natural birth is everything goes fine.
- Marc run 10K in Oxford, we were really pride of him, at least me
- Arthur and I went to the hairdresser. For me, she straightened my hair so I have two versions of my new do!

or

- we went to my Italian teacher's son's first birthday party and for once Arthur was pretty shy and wanted to play with the other children when we were leaving, typical!
- and at last, last week end, my cousin Sandrine came to visit with her children really quickly. It was short, but sweet!

Apart from that, Arthur is well, but he is going through a really hard opposition stage. It's not easy everyday. Me, I'm growing slowly everyday. We are in waiting process! My mum is coming in a week time and I have the feeling I will have even less time to post, but I am pretty sure Marc will do it to let you know about the great news!!!

First of all, the day of his birthday, Arthur woke up sick. He was in bad mood and he didn't want us to sing "happy birthday", but when he went down stairs to have his breakfast, he discovered in the conservatory his present from his parents: a garage with cars.
He was really happy, and we had to have breakfast near it, and changing his nappy and get dressed in the conservatort!.
Fortunately, he didn't mind leaving to Fiona's.
Fiona gave him a board with soft paper where there is a lot of different little piece to change the background. The theme is the train station with a nice train.
In the evening, when we came back, Christelle and Richard were waiting for us with a big packet. They offered him a bear made by themselves in the bear factory. His name is Barney, but Arthur being really traditional calls him Teddy.
They stayed for diner, Marc made some home made lasagna. We spent more time on the phone than with our guests, but thank you everyone to have called for Arthur who wasn't in good mood to talk on the phone except for his godfather Paul.
The next day, he received a parcel from Maryse, Aurelie's mum, a really nice book in French "Arthur, tidy your room". The drawings and the text are really nice.
Saturday, yesterday, we celebrated his birthday with others friends. Yes, 2 years old, 2 birthday parties!!!! There were Grace and Olivia who are his friends from Fiona's, Sophie and Isabelle and Elliot. For the adults, there were the parents and Christelle and Richard.
He got a lot of present: some puzzle of Thomas, the tank engine and Nemo from Olivia, a book from Grace (Monkey and me), a book and some Winnie the pooh chocolate from Elliot, some letter-magnet from Sophie and Isabel
Arthur blow again really well his candles, but this time Marc missed the video, so no proof. What was funny is that he managed to blow one candle and took it to light it up again with the other one. He did that two or three time, until I helped him to blow the two candles at the same time.
Today, we woke up with 10 centimetre of snow. Arthur received an other present from the neighbour: a book "Old MacDonald had a farm", I had to sing it twice!!
In the other news, Arthur being sick all week, he started to suck his thumb again. Good or not good, I don't know, but he needs it obviously. He is really grumpy and has tantrums these days, so I hope it will help him to calm down.
To finish with birthday and anniversaries, Marc and I went to a gastro-pub for our wedding anniversary on Thursday. It was delicious.

Yesterday, we celebrated Arthur's birthday with our post natal group. Two of the children were missing, Jacob and Eva, but we were still 6 children and 8 adults.
Arthur had difficulties to blow his candles, but he was happy. He has been spoiled. He got a puzzle with vehicles, a truck which caries a digger, a book about a Kangourou and some painting pen.
Here are some pictures and a video:

Olwen and the truck:

Luke and the Beatle:


Emily:



And to keep going the party, today we went to Ben's with Olwen!!!!

After coming back from our holidays on Monday the 16th of July, the next day in the evening Rosa and Donato, Marc’s parents arrived to spend 10 days with us. We didn’t put Arthur at Fiona’s so they could enjoy him fully. It was worth it.