Angus started nursery today.
I am feeling a little sad.
It is the beginning of the end of my at-home-with-kids bubble. John was off today and we all went off together at 8.30am. Angus cried a little when we first went in, but then he spotted a few of his friends and wandered off in search of the cars and train track. When we said bye he was quite happy. I cried all the way back to the car. John took me to buy some ribbon for a dress and for a coffee (I'm a cheap date).
But then, in the coffee shop, we ordered two coffees and didn't have to spend a small fortune on fruit juice and gingerbread men. We sat down and chatted, without interruptions, about where we might go to spend our ten year wedding anniversary next Spring.
That was nice.
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In other exciting news, Angus has made excellent progress in the toilet training department. Pants were purchased. More pants were purchased as five pairs clearly wasn't enough and, for some inexplicable reason, he wont wear his Thomas the Tank Engine ones. A potty chair is now another brightly coloured, ugly plastic item in our house. But I'd rather look at that than have puddles all over the floorboards. We've been attempting this on and off since last Spring and I was starting to think he'd be the only child at nursery not toilet trained. But, in true Angus fashion, he waited until he was good and ready, thank you very much.
The monkey pants below are his absolute favourite pair.
I remember those potty training sessions with our daughter! She used to carry the potty out of view and I used to despair at some of the places where it was left - by the front door when the postman called!
ReplyDeleteJune
I now worry that I'll get so used to it that I'll stop noticing it, and just think it's another toy!
DeleteOh I remember the pain of first day at nursery and I am still one of those mums that misses her children like mad when they are at school. On the potty training front, mine left it till 3 and bypassed the potty and went straight to the loo, although that could have had something to do with the fact that we didn't own a potty!
ReplyDeleteYes, now we've finally got Angus to use the potty we have the whole fun and games of getting him on the loo...no luck so far. I didn't know what to do with myself this morning, the house felt so quiet, I couldn't relax. Typical!
DeletePoor you, that must be hard. Hope you got to smile later when you picked him up! One of those difficult days we always remember!
ReplyDeleteIvan :-(
It was lovely to pick him up, and I think we appreciated him all the more in the afternoon when we had some one on one time with him.
DeleteOh I'm in that bubble too. Jago started nursery last week. I'm still a bit stunned. He's ignoring the whole potty thing - he has better things to do. It'll click in time...
ReplyDeleteIt will. I do think boys seem to have a different attitude to potty training - it's just an annoying thing that gets in the way of lining up cars! x
DeleteDear Gillian
ReplyDeleteAnother milestone achieved.
I used to teach 4 and 5 year olds and it was always a bittersweet moment when they left us in reception and moved into 'big school'. Of course, there were always the next year's class to settle in and grow with. Some very happy memories.
Best wishes
Ellie
I was surprised by how upset Bella's reception teacher was to wave goodbye to her class and send them up to year one, but I suppose it's natural when you've spent a year getting to know all those children. x
DeleteI can remember that feeling of them starting nursery like it was yesterday, how lovely that John took you out for coffee though...
ReplyDeleteLove the pants! & al the best with the potty training.
Lx
Thank you. It was good luck that he was off yesterday, I did need a bit of tlc. x
DeleteThat's boys for you , always do it in their own sweet time. I have to admit I'd have been lost without our potty chair ..
ReplyDeleteIt was a revelation! Those things are brilliant, I wish I'd bought one ages ago.
DeleteOh gosh, those milestones like starting nursery are hard, aren't they? We're facing one later this week when our boy moves out to start university in the big city. Gulp.
ReplyDeleteOh, but that is a wonderful milestone to really celebrate, how exciting for him! But I can imagine it will be hard to wave him off too. Good luck! x
DeleteSuch bittersweet moments, how brave you have all been!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the potty training, I remember getting through 17 pairs of knickers in 2 days once with the little one. Haha - I can laugh now!
Don't know about brave... 17 pairs of knickers in 2 days, wow! We haven't beaten that record, but I do think I may have to go and buy Angus some more trousers, they all appear to be in the wash! x
DeleteIt's a hard step, but exciting too for both of you. Brilliant news about the potty training (how glad am I that those times are far gone), loving the monkey pants, no wonder they're his favourite :) x
ReplyDeleteI also love the monkey pants. It's certainly been a week of adjustments this week! x
DeleteAwww, well done all of you! I like the sound of your cheap date : ) Jx (and love Angus' backpack!)
ReplyDeleteIsn't his backpack great? My husband thought I was ridiculous for buying it but Angus loves it. It's not too big so it's easy for him to wear. And handy for the inevitable change of pants and trousers that we have every morning...
DeleteAt least you have the difficult first day over with ... each one will be better ... I can't imagine what it will be like for me when my little fairy leaves to start nursery next September ... well done with the toilet training ... I am holding out until my little lady is good and ready too ... can't be doing with trying to find the random accidents ... so much easier when they understand what they need to do ... Bee xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Bee. I agree about leaving it as late as possible - that's why Angus was well over three! I haven't found a random accident (yet...) x
DeleteFelt I should clarify the random accidents ... my cousin's little girl would go in anything with a circular opening ... flowerpots and shoes were among a number of places she visited... funny for her mum and dad to look back on ... but not very amusing at the time ... Bee x
DeleteWe were potty training last year, lots of puddles. Boys are just too busy to stop playing to bother with going to the toilet. Good luck. Sarah x
ReplyDeleteThanks. Yes, lots of people have told me that about boys, they're just too engrossed in play to sit on a toilet, and I'm finding that is true for Angus! x
DeleteEvery boy needs a pair of monkey pants ;)
ReplyDeletePotty training is a distant memory here, but I do remember it had it's, um, interesting moments. Like the time we were woken by screaming ... daughter one had woken in the night needing the toilet and had decided to be a big girl and use the loo and not the potty. Problem was the kiddie seat wasn't in situ and she fell right in, bottom first of course, and got wedged. It would have been hilarious if she hadn't been so frantic. Oh the joys of parenting!
Enjoy having a little more freedom ... I'd stay in that bubble as long as possible if I were you :)
Oh no! Poor thing...Angus is currently terrified of the toilet (despite presence of kiddie seat) and I'm sure he thinks he'll get flushed away or something.
DeleteIt was very odd this morning - I couldn't relax and just did frantic housework when any sensible person would've put the kettle on and done some knitting.
So glad his first day at nursery went well! I keep going back in forth with the decision to put Charlotte in nursery a few mornings each week. Since she is going to be our only child I think I may wait until next year, but somedays it would be nice to have a little quite time to myself!! And yes, we are still potty training, not there yet, but getting there.
ReplyDeleteI know the time to myself will be nice, but at the moment it feels really weird! I haven't really been in an empty house like this for five years...I'm so used to endless background noise. There's no rush to put Charlotte in nursery, I'd make the most of all your time together. x
DeleteHi Gillian, and greetings from Down Under! Yes, it is a new phase of life with kids as the baby goes off to pre-school. Enjoy your "time off", I am sure you will be doing some gorgeous things as we see from your blog. My boys are 9 and 11, and if I am home, I just wait all day until they get home. Actually, we live in the same street as the school, and as I drove back from the shops today, I saw my big boy in the playground and he gave me the biggest smile and wave! What a lovely sight! Cheers, Liz near Wollongong NSW
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth! So far, all I've done with my child free time is housework and ironing! I'll leave that off the blog and try to show you something much more interesting. How lovely to see your son at school and know that he's happy.
DeleteGillian x
I remember those first few days of solitude. It feels so odd to be without them . . . and then suddenly it feels kinda good too. Take it slow but enjoy.
ReplyDeletexxx,
Jenny
Yes, today was definitely odd. But I know it will be good too, once I get used to it. Thanks. :-) x
DeleteOh I feel for you, Gillian. I was just the same when my two started nursery and then school. In fact, each milestone still makes me cry thinking I'm becoming a little more redundant as they grow up. As for potty training, I never rushed my two, they did it in their own time so it wasn't stressful at all and it just seemed to happen without any hassle. However, if anything's going to get a boy potty trained it's monkey pants. Love em.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jo. I can already see Bella starting to become more independent, and it makes me happy and sad at the same time. Thankfully I can still baby Angus for a bit longer!
DeleteGo Angus!! I think if I had monkeys on my knickers, they'd be my favourites too.
ReplyDeleteThe monkey pants are great! The green pair with an elephant are second favourite. I wish I'd bought them months ago!
DeleteI have a stash of tiny pants waiting in a drawer for when Jude starts potty training. But I think he may need some monkey pants to add to his collection. Where are they from? And the Thomas ones?
ReplyDeleteThe monkey pants were from Marks and Spencer, they come in a pack with different colours and different animals - so cute! I think the Thomas ones were from there too. x
DeleteWell done Angus! My nearly 3 year old is also just about potty trained. Well, as long as he isn't wearing pants he's fine. As soon as he's wearing undies there are accidents! I think he forgets that he's not wearing a nappy :-) x
ReplyDeleteI know so many people with boys who say exactly the same thing! I am used to turning up at friends houses and seeing a little one naked from the waist down, I don't bat an eyelid anymore. Anything to save accidents! xx
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