Patrick and I have been drawing up plans of our "dream house". Maybe one day we'll even get a chance to build it!

Patrick showed Alexander a few of the basics on how to work the software we have been using to design it. Then we lost him to the computer for a few hours. Like father, like son.

When we went back to look at what he had done, he had designed quite an elaborate house with a fireman's pole down to a secret underground tunnel leading to a lake with a get-away boat (for getting away from the "grown-ups" when they get annoying).



It was an amazing plan. To say we were surprised (and quite impressed!) is a vast understatement.

With much excitement and in anticipation of wonderful things, we celebrated Alexander's 6th birthday last weekend.

The day started out with the ritual opening of presents - a set of junior golf clubs this year! Not plastic toy clubs, but real metal junior clubs. Then, Alexander made his own birthday cake and decorated it with jelly spider, snakes and bugs. Very tasty, I might add.

For a months, when asked what he would like for his birthday, he simply said that he wanted us to take him out to a fancy restaurant to celebrate. So that's what we did. On his birthday evening, we took him to Le Pont de la Tour, a conran restaurant on the Thames overlooking Tower Bridge.

Dressed up in his best clothes, we headed into town for his special evening. He tried some new food, got to drink out of a wine glass and behaved very well indeed.

To mark the occasion, the Tower Bridge even opened twice during dinner. That evening, it just so happened that the Prince's Trust was having a big concert beside the Tower Bridge. So, as well as the party, the Prince Charles's boat sailed up and back a couple of times and they had to open the bridge to let it through. It was the first time I had ever seen the bridge lift, and Xander got to see it twice in a night.

After dinner, we headed to the bar next door to listen to some jazz musicians. Xander really got into it, grooving along to the music. It was so much fun to take him out on the town - he was great company. We were so proud of him. Our fine young man!

On Sunday he took a crowd of his little mates bowling to celebrate. They had a ball.

According to the young man himself, this was the best birthday he has ever had!

After a very long winter we are finally having some brighter, warmer weather. This is very exciting for us indeed.

Yesterday we took the kids to a family fun day at the Woodford Rugby Club, where A usually plays on Sunday morning. They were having a charity match and fun fair to raise money for Tourette Syndrome.

Alexander and Eleanor had their faces painted and fuelled themselves up on as much sugar as they could get their hands on. The highlight of Alexander's day was having a go on the fire engine and being allowed to wear one of the helmets. He thought it was so great that he took photos of this to school for show and tell today.

Margaux is really coming along. I think we can say that she is now walking, although still very unsteady. Such a sweet little girl, she is also starting to say a few more things. She tells us that she is "pretty" - melts my heart!

Over the winter I really have to rely on lights for work, but with the increased light, I have actually been able to get out and take some more photos in natural light. This is such an incredible treat for me!

After many months of begging and pleading, the time had now come for Eleanor to start Ballet lessons. She was in bed early the night before and up early on the morning ready to put on her pink costume. She looked so sweet in it and was so excited going off with her little friend to the lesson. It was like a room full of little pink fairies fluttering around - so cute.

Eleanor has a real thing for ponies, so we thought that we would treat her to a ride. So on Sunday afternoon, we headed to the Greenwich Park for a picnic and run around. Just outside the front gate to the park was a man with a few little ponies, offering rides for children. So, excitedly, we took the kids over and asked if they wanted a ride. Of course, they did. So off they went and had a great time. Afterwards, we were walking back into the park with our ice creams to watch a cricket match on the top oval and we said to E "did you enjoy the pony ride?" She shrugged her shoulders indifferently and said "Hmmmph, they were donkeys." She was right, of course. Not much gets past her.