As predicted, yesterday was a bit of a busy rush, but all children seemed to have tonnes of fun (which is what it is all about)!
Whilst at the soft play centre, Mummy McC made enquiries about a big party - booking out the whole soft play centre, hiring in the best entertainment and bringing in three cakes!!! Will this be the best party ever for 3 of the McC children (the big McC child will NOT have a party in a soft play centre, but he will be 13 so he will have to have a different celebration)!!!
Mummy McC cannot believe how fast all the McC children are growing. McC 1 is going to be starting Year 9 in September, third year in high school and will be looking at options for GCSE's. Mummy McC is so happy that McC 1 is on schedule for A and A* grades in all subject areas, so decisions of what to take will be a bit difficult!!! McC 2 has already been moved up a school year, he's working very hard in all areas and achieving lots of vivo stars, stickers and certificates. McC 3 is ready for Year 2, working mainly in groups with the higher achievers and flying high as usual. She is so academic and most of it comes easy to her - lucky girl!!! McC 4 is ready for school (Mummy McC is not crying at the thought of this, well, not a lot of crying yet!!!) McC 4 has been using phonetical sounds to play guessing games, thriving with his reading skills by reading books, posters and sign posts and has been playing shop with real money and working out simple mathematical problems dealing with ideas such as change - such a super star McC 4!!! Mummy McC is very sad at having children who are growing up so fast - slow down time, it's not fair!!!
Mummy McC always wanted four children and Daddy McC wanted one - Mummy McC won that one!!! Mummy McC doesn't want anymore children, but has the feeling of 'never say never' - Daddy McC has a 'not a chance, no way' feeling!!! Think Daddy McC will win that one.
Having children wasn't always simple for Mummy and Daddy McC. Living situations, extended family and medical problems got in the way!!! So here goes - VERY long story about how the McC's became the McC's!!!
Mummy McC and Daddy McC met at school - awwww, so cute! Mummy McC and Daddy McC didn't get on very well at first, but grew to like each other over time. Mummy McC and Daddy McC became a couple on Saturday 6th November 1999! Mummy McC and Daddy McC were both in Sixth Form at Windsor School on JHQ Rheindahlen (sadly, the school is no longer there - but that's a totally different story!) Mummy McC and Daddy McC had a lovely first Christmas together and Daddy McC went to Scotland to celebrate the Millenium and Mummy McC stayed in Germany. Daddy McC had a very special question for Mummy McC on his return and on Sunday 9th January 2000 Daddy McC and Mummy McC got engaged!!! Daddy McC moved to England with his parents and Mummy McC stayed for a second year in Sixth Form to finish A-levels. Daddy McC visited Mummy McC and managed to get a job so he could stay!!!
Mummy McC and Daddy McC got a wonderful surprise in February 2001 when they found out Mummy McC had been growing McC number 1 for 16 weeks already. So the feeling sick because of running up the stairs or skipping breakfast wasn't really all that!!! McC 1 was due on 4th August and after a bit of trouble on Daddy McC's side of the family held on inside Mummy McC and was 9 days late. Due to complicated circumstances (and easy free living) Mummy McC and baby McC 1 lived with Nannan and Grandad B in a lovely big house in Germany. Daddy McC lived with Nanny S, but was just a bit away and seen baby McC 1 ALL the time. Mummy McC and baby McC 1 weren't meant to live with Nannan and Grandad B for long, but it was easy and free and moving out was expensive and difficult!!! More complicated family stuff meant that Mummy McC's sister had a baby and Mummy McC became an Auntie - AMAZING feeling!!! No space in the big B house for any more children and Mummy McC and Daddy McC didn't have enough money to move out!!! That put a hold on Mummy McC's ideas for more children!!! Even more complicated family stuff for Daddy McC and Nanny S meant that Daddy McC had to move away for a while to Scotland to be with Papa McC. It wasn't easy for Mummy McC and baby McC 1 to be away from Daddy McC, but Daddy McC visited when he can. MORE complicated family stuff for Great Papa McC meant that Daddy McC was offered a place for us all to live - WOW!!! What a wonderful gift from Great Papa McC!!! Mummy McC and baby McC 1 (not so baby any more, he was 3 and a half!!!) went to see the new flat and a new school. Mad decision was made to get married before Mummy McC moved away from Germany - aaaarrrrgggghhhh - can a wedding be done in just under 12 weeks!!! EVERYTHING couldn't have gone better, such a wonderful event occurred on July 2nd 2005 when Mummy really became a McC!!! Lots of wonderful people attended the event and so many generous people gave Mummy McC and Daddy McC a wedding to remember!!! Nannan and Grandad B looked after McC 1 so that Mummy McC and Daddy McC could have a night of peace before the madness of moving occurred!!! Just one month later Mummy McC and McC 1 moved away!!!
In September 2005 Mummy McC, Daddy McC and McC 1 had a New Start in a new country. No Nannan and Grandad B to help, no real family close by - life was a WHOLE LOT different then. A new school for McC 1, a bit tricky as he wasn't old enough for school in Scotland, but was in England, but after a bit of a battle and a lot of effort Mummy McC and Daddy McC got early entry for McC 1. McC 1 was a very high flyer academically, but the school didn't suit him. McC 1 would be upset because he was not awarded a sticker for improvement when Monday was 10 out of 10 and Tuesday was 10 out of 10 etc - as a mummy, how do you explain to a 4 year old that he was too good to improve!!!
Mummy McC and Daddy McC decided it would be nice to give McC 1 a little borther or a little sister, but life became difficult within the first weeks of living in Scotland. At a routine check-up whilst registering at the doctors it was discovered that Daddy McC had what looked like the dreaded C in one of his testicles. The dreadful news was confirmed the very next day and Mummy McC and Daddy McC fell into a world of confusion. What would happen next, what would be the way forward for Daddy McC? Three days later Daddy McC had a very serious appointment with a very specialised Dr and was told three very important things - 1. he would have an operation in 7 days time, 2. he would probably need chemo and or radio therapy and 3. it may end up that he never has any more children and could become infertile!!! Mummy McC and Daddy McC's whole world was turned upside down. Daddy McC's operation happened in the next City and Mummy McC, with no car/transport, had to stay at home with McC 1 and Papa McC went with Daddy McC. Mummy McC was nervous all day, but Papa McC called and said everything had gone well. Daddy McC came home the next day and began to recover from his operation. The Dr removed Daddy McC's stitches, but more news would come from the specialist. A very anxious wait for Mummy McC and Daddy McC for the specialist appointment to be arranged. Mummy McC began to feel very sick, but thought that was to do with the nerves of the upcoming appointment for Daddy McC. Seven weeks after the operation Mummy McC took a test, one of those special tests that mummy's take, one of those special tests that mummy's want to be positive - AND IT WAS!!! HOW EXCITING!!! On that very same day Mummy McC and Daddy McC got called to the hospital as the specialist had a space available for Daddy McC to have an appointment - unbelievably, Daddy McC's operation was the most successful it could ever have been, no further treatments and unlikely to cause any further issues tho monitoring will be necessary. Mummy McC and Daddy McC could not have wished for better news. CELEBRATIONS ALL ROUND!!!
Everybody in Scotland had their own little friendship groups and Mummy McC and Daddy McC didn't really get to know anybody. Life was tricky for the McC's in Scotland in all aspects, but mainly for McC 1 in his school and Mummy McC and McC 1 didn't like being too far away from family and friends and lasted only 6 months in Scotland before moving house AGAIN to Warrington. A house move at 19 weeks pregnant with no car was quite tricky, but we travelled by coach overnight and joined Nannan and Grandad B who had also moved to Warrington too, such an exciting time!!!
Another New School, but much more suited to McC 1. He was given so much more educational guidance and was thriving and achieving so much - such a clever boy. The teacher's could not have been happier with him and gave him work from the next class to complete. McC 1 loved all the brain work too!!!
When Mummy McC was 32 weeks pregnant she felt unwell and attended the ANU. It was discovered that McC 2 had a small heart problem where his heart would do a double beat every 5th beat, but there was no major concern and consultants thought that it may self correct during labour. McC 2 decided to arrive nine days late and had no heart problems after birth - wooooohooooooo!!! MORE CELEBRATIONS!!! Another blue McC!!!
September 2006 meant that McC 1 went into Year 1 and began working with Year 2's - Mummy McC and Daddy McC always knew he was clever!!! McC 1 achieved a great deal in his Year 2 work and loved it!!! McC 2 hit many milestones a little early, but Mummy McC and Daddy McC both know that children develop at their own pace and that it doesn't really matter, but times were great for Mummy McC, Daddy McC and McC 1 & 2!!!
September 2007 was time for McC 1 to go into Year 2 and quickly began working with the Year 3's - initially for literacy and numeracy and very soon full time - Mummy McC's first born was upstairs with the juniors!!! McC 2 continued to thrive and began signing full conversations - such a clever little McC!!! Mummy McC and McC 2 were enjoying a lovely breastfeeding journery and soon came a time when Mummy McC had some jeans that were beginning to feel tight - another POSITIVE test, wooooohooooooo! Mummy McC saw a midwife and was due towards the end of July!!! McC 2 learned how to drink cow's milk, how to count and how to remember whatever was said before he was 2 and the signing continued! Mummy McC had McC 3 9 days after she was due - MORE MCC CELEBRATIONS!!! A pink McC!!!
September 2008 was another step for McC 1 and he began the school year working with Year 4's and ended it working with Year 5's and 6's - continuing his clever streak!!! McC 2 continued with his signing and began a fascination with cars and number plates!!! As with any boy, cars are great!!! McC 3 was a dinky McC and grew slowly, lovely for Mummy McC as she stayed in her outfits longer - a mummy's dream!
September 2009 and McC 1 continued to thrive with the Year 5's and 6's. McC 2 began nursery and the nursery staff were amazed at McC 2's memory and his ability to communicate with signing, but were concerned at his lack of verbal skills - a trip to Speech and Language!!! Speech and Language assessed and decided he could make the phonetical sounds, just preferred to sign! Practice, practice and more practice at talking and away he went!!! McC 2 went on to learn how to read the names of his class mates and various other labels around the nursery and so his reading journey began!!! Clever little McC! McC 3 began her signing journey and she was a chatterbox with it!!! Mummy McC had another one of those positive tests and McC 4 arrived 9 days late in May 2010. (Four McC babies and all were 9 days late - hmmm, a pattern?!)
September 2010 was time for McC 1 to join the Year 6 classroom, so grown up! McC 2 began full time school, Mummy McC had two McC's in school!!! McC 2 had some settling in issues with the structure of Reception, but no major issues. McC 3 continued to thrive and grow and learn and began counting. McC 4 began his signing journey too - signing is very important to the McC children and Mummy McC! Mummy McC was very happy with four children and Daddy McC went and had 'the op' on his remaining one!!!
September 2011 was McC 1's final school year in the most amazing primary school!!! How could McC 1 be ready to leave primary school - aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh!!! Mummy McC was not ready for that!!! McC 2 moved onto Year 1, such a tricky change - but other than a few issues with a pencil, McC 2 started to show his clever academic skills too!!! McC 3 started Nursery - three McC children in school and only one McC baby at home, sad times for Mummy McC!!! That said, McC 4 was not really a baby anymore. He began counting and sounding out phonetics and naming colours and shapes and just being extra clever!!!
September 2012 and McC 1 headed off to HIGH SCHOOL, all by himself, with no Mummy McC or Daddy McC - and he survived!!! Mummy McC doesn't like children growing up!!! McC 2 moved into Year 2 and McC 3 began full time school too - again more growing up and more sad faces from Mummy McC!!! McC 4 was only 2, but Mummy McC paid for him to attend nursery for one morning a week much to the delight of McC 4. Nursery loved McC 4 and he learned so many new skills and gained so many friends!!! McC 4 even began learning Spanish!!!
September 2013 and McC 1 moved on in High School, Year 8! High flying and ready to shine!!! McC 2 is a junior and working hard academically and socially (social skills are a struggle for McC 2, as is routine and change and taking things literally - but that's for another blog!) McC 3 moved into Year 1 and began sitting at tables and learning hard!!! McC 4 began nursery full time - 5 mornings a week!!! Mummy McC even has some mornings free from children (with her job!!!) WHAT WILL MUMMY McC AND DADDY McC DO WITH THEIR FREETIME??? Read further blogs to see!!!
