Frankie turns two!

Today was Frankie's second birthday!

Unfortunately due to the weather forecast we had to cancel the bouncy castle we had booked :( It forecast rain but annoyingly it looks like it might brighten up again now.

He woke around 7am and after a few snuggles in bed, we woke his siblings and headed downstairs.

After present opening and breakfast we headed down to our local soft play for a morning of fun. It was a lovely fine morning so we walked, it takes about half hour and is a lovely scenic route.

After a couple of hours play we nipped across the road and had dinner at KFC. We then walked back home.

The cake lady we had booked to make his cake arrived with it around 2pm. It was amazing, everything I hoped for and more!

Frankie loved it and started singing Raa Raa as soon as he saw it!

 The kids had a couple of hours playing with Frankie and his new toys and watching TV then it was time for tea!

We had a very small party tea as we were still quite full from our KFC.

One final surprise for the kids was waiting when we cut into the cake, it was rainbow!

I really was chuffed with the cake, I think the lady did a great job. I sent a picture to the official Raa Raa facebook page and they replied!

We had a lovely family day and on Saturday we have family visiting and more presents and food to look forward to!

All the kids are shattered and 3 out of the 4 of them are already sleep. Think I might just join them...

Frankie's First Haircut

My little Frankie has such a head of hair. I knew he wouldn't let a hairdresser near him, but he also needed a cut. Badly.

I have had lots of practice in cutting hair as I had to do Louie's for two years. He wouldn't go to the hairdressers either until he was almost 4! I actually learnt how to do it through watching tutorial videos on youtube. I know it sounds crazy but I had to. He really needed his hair doing haha!

So on Sunday I realised I couldn't leave Frankie's hair any longer. I had to bite the bullet and cut it, Eeek!

Here he is looking overgrown 

So, I plonked him in his highchair, complete with a lollipop for a bribe and set to work with a gentlemans comb and a pair of scissors!

I should add they are hairdressing scissors that I bought on ebay when I used to do Louie's hair. I only paid around £10 and they have lasted years.

And yes I scissor it all, I really can't stand the shaved look!

So 15 minutes and a quick bath later, this is the result!

How grown up does he look?!

I was quite shocked by how different he looked, especially how grown up it makes him look!

It's great because he no longer has a constant bed head haha!

Comparison Pic

Hospitals & Worries!

At Frankie's six week check (almost two years ago now!). The doctor picked up that he only had one testicle. We were referred to the hospital for further investigation.

Over the last two years we have been to various appointments and scans. I think the hope is that by the time a child turns two an undescended testicle will have come down by itself.

In Frankie's case this is not to be. The doctors don't think he even has a second testicle. They can't find one on the scans he's had, neither can they feel one (undescended) in his tummy!

This has been a worry since he was six weeks old and he will be two next week!

Today we had an appointment with a paediatric surgeon. They are going to operate. They will be doing keyhole surgery, and will put a tiny camera in to see if they can find this testicle hiding.

If they do find it and it is of good quality they will start to bring it down to where it should be. But they do it in two stages, so this means another op to finish the job 6 months after ther first operation.

If it is of bad quality they will take it out.

And if it isn't there they will make sure there are no traces of left behind testicle that may have twisted or died.

The danger of leaving one in the tummy is that when the child is older, say 18-20 it can turn into cancer. Yes! Scary stuff!

So he has been referred today for the operation in which will take place at Leeds LGI. There is a two month waiting list so it should be September time.

I am really nervous and feeling scared about it but I will really be glad when it is all done and dusted. We have worried about it for so long now :(

I must admit though. Sitting in the children's centre today, put everything into perspective. We are lucky we only have a small-ish problem. And out of four children we have done well to only have this one problem. There were some children there today much more worse off than Frankie and it broke my heart.

Starting Nursery?

We have the opportunity for Frankie to go to a private nursery for 15 hours per week from September.

I think this would be great for him as Louie is starting reception in September, so that leaves just me and Frankie at home.

As lovely as that would be I am not sure that I can provide enough stimulation for him at home. He's at an age where he constantly needs something to entertain him or he gets up to no good.

I have provisionally signed him up to start a settling in period in September, eek!

I am a bit worried he won't settle as he has never been away from me or his dad, EVER.

But I really do want him to settle, I think it will be great for him and he will have lots of fun!

Then I will be home alone...this scares me. What the heck will I do with myself?!