2 years and 5 months old. In the same amount of time again, I’ll have two (nearly) 5 years olds. Gulp.

I was reading back over some of my old blog posts yesterday and came across a diary entry from when the boys had turned just 26 weeks. Almost exactly 2 years younger than they are now.

I was noting their milestones and the fact that they’d tried ‘solid’ food for the first time. I went on to talk about Cosmo rolling over and Bertie’s reluctance to follow suit.

Then went on to say:

‘The longer it takes for them to do things, the better for me… after all, I waited a long time for these babies, so I’m really happy to let them be babies — and enjoy watching them grow — for as long as possible.’

And I have truly stood by that.

It’s been such a privilege to watch these tiny boys grow and change. To go from tiny, helpless little newborns, to chubby faced babies.

Moving independently, thinking independently; walking and talking.

I said — in that 26 week post — that the growing up years are so finite. At that stage, I’d only got other people’s children to go on but now I can say, with some certainty, that never a truer word has been spoken.

Time FLIES by.

Before you know it, your babies are at nursery, preschool, reception class, primary school and so on. I can’t bear to think about it, to be honest.

It makes my heart race and my eyes fill up with tears.

Not because I don’t want that to happen — of course I do — but I wish it didn’t have to happen quite so fast. I’m clinging to these years and they’re slipping out of my grasp — like sand through your fingers.

This month’s ‘Siblings’ photos were taken at our new allotment!

We found out on Tuesday that we’d *finally* ended up on the top of the waiting list (after 4 years) and a plot had become available for us. So we all went down yesterday morning for a little look.

Mucho excitement from the Twinkles daddy — and me! And of course this good cheer and enthusiasm rubbed off on our two little charges, who spent the rest of the day chattering to me about the —

‘LOTmunt’ ~ Cosmo

And a tiny apple. Originally from the ‘lotmunt’ and then snatched from Cosmo) —

‘APPul’ ~ Bertie.

I’m looking forward to a LOT of allotment updates as time rolls on. It’s going to be lovely to go there, with the boys; to show them how things grow. To see them grow — and learn.

Although we have a veggie plot in our own garden, the new patch of land we’ve inherited — for a princely sum of just £12 per year — will give us scope for growing SO many more things. I’m so looking forward to taking it over in October!

Mark my words, there’ll be a lot of coverage on this blog.

Just call me ‘Barbara Good’ ;)

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