There is always space for another superhero

A few evenings ago: Pants on head and golden bauble on butt. Bobby introduced his new alter ego: "Mama, check me out, I'm Superpants!"

This morning, he said to me apropos of nothing: "Every story needs a hero."

School boy Bob

It had to happen. In Germany, all school kids go to school on their very first day with a Schultuete. It's a big cone full of school bits n bobs and of course the obligatory sweets and treats. This is Bobby with his home made cone on the way to school. Oh the pride and fear.

Bobby Rockstar

Bobby: 'When I grow up, I'm going to be a rockstar.'

Bobby Arschbombe

Easily the best activity this summer was doing Arschbomben (Butt bomb) competitions with his cousins. It involved launching yourself off the jetty and trying to land in a neat bomb, butt first.

Cliff diving - almost

Bobby got really into the water this summer and was daring himself to be chucked higher and higher...

The Knight helmet

Part knight helmet, part camouflage, this was a creation that came about at our stay with Sophie at the Canadian style lake near Murnau.

Bobby bikini boy

Bobby spent most of the hols nakidei, but wanted to try on my bikini all the same one day.

The Woerthsee Sculpture

Bobby built a Woerthsee sculpture as a present for auntie Mutzo and uncle Joe Joe to celebrate their wedding day. It was attached to a long stick and planted in the water. Like a lot of interesting installation art these days, it came apart with the weather.

Festival Bob

Bobby has called Camp Bestival "Camp Festival" since he first went some three years ago. He particularly loved the bell tent this year, which was a first and wanted to stay for "77 days and 77 nights". Sadly we had to pack up after three. But he'll be back.

Legoland Bob

Bobby was lucky enough to be taken to Legoland by his best buddy, Felix. For him, that was of course reason to get the old bone tie out. And a button down shirt. He knows a special event when he hears of one.

Graduate Bob

Bobby graduated from his fantastic nursery on Wednesday. There wasn't a dry eye in the house, especially when the kids filed out for their graduation pic to Queen's Don't Stop Me Now. "I'm going to make a supersonic man out of you," says Freddie. And that's just what the nursery did for him. Thank you, College Green.

Demonstration Bob

On Tuesday, we went to the Royal Courts of Justice to demonstrate against library closures in Brent. Bobby wore a 'Save my library' T-shirt and did some chanting. We have yet to see what the outcome will be.

The Invisible Silver Knight

Bobby had superhero day at nursery and wanted to go as silver surfer (see pic 1), but at the very last minute he decided he had to be an invisible silver knight with a stead. Said stead, according to Bobby, had a magic left ear, which could hear trouble far away and take him to it in no time at all.

Bobbamouse

We went to a brilliant kids' festival called Pop Up this weekend in Coram's Field. The kids listened to Michael De Souza read from Rastamouse (see Michael here next to Bobby). They got to make their own Baddabling T-shirts that were nuff bad. Irie Man! Michael, the creator, was so brilliant with the kids. He had them shouting in Jamaican Patois. Later they met Axel Sheffler of the Gruffalo fame. It was like a mini Hay. I hope people make enough donations for the festival to happen again!

Jiu Jitsu Bob

This is the day when Bobby got his white/yellow belt, after his first jiu jitsu grading. For the last six months he's been avoiding pink, saying: "Pink is shtoopid. Pink is for girls." I recently told him that pink was pretty much his dad's favourite colour and that it looks good on boys too. Ever since he's been obsessed by these pink jelly shoes. And if anyone says anything, he just says, "Boys can wear pink too. It's my papa' favourite colour."

Sport Bob

It was sports day at Bobby's nursery last week and of course, he HAD to wear the right attire.

For him that meant customising a blue, 3/4 length pyjama, and cutting into shorts. And the STAR WARS cap, for extra added strength.

This was my first sports day and didn't know anything about the mum's race, until it was too late and I was in the line-up. I'm pretty sure I didn't win, as I saw lots of mums in front of me. I blame the shoes... But Bobby ran up to me and said, 'Mama, did you win?! Did you win??!'

Me: 'I don't think so...'

Bobby: 'You did really well in the first bit.'

And then he gave me a massive bear hug.

Sir Bob

Bobby has taken to walking to nursery with an umbrella, like a gentleman. He uses it like a walking stick and occasionally twirls it around.

Super Bob

There was a super hero show and tell at Bobby's nursery today. Initially he wanted to go as Wolverine, but I said let's see if we can think of other interesting super heroes, such as Fart Man, Butter Boy etc. He came up with Super Bob. According to Bobby, 'when I press this button on my belt, my jiu jitsu warriors come out and they save the world.'

Bobby does a William

Bobby's nursery organised a really sweet 'Royal Wedding picnic' where the kids were supposed to come dressed up. It goes without saying that Bobby wanted to make his own outfit. We used an old jeans jacket as the military base, and some jeans as the military trousers. He stuck blue gaffer tape down the trouser leg and we made the sash, lapels and medals out of an old Sainsbury's recycling bag. Since watching the wedding on TV Bobby says, 'Mama can we kiss like Prince William? and he tilts his head in for a balcony style kiss.

Papa's shop

A couple of days ago, we went to our friend Mischa Richter's photography opening in the Folk Shop in Brick Lane. When he found out we were heading to Papa's shop, Bobby ran into his room, peeled off the shorts and T-shirt he was wearing, and pulled on these, his vest and his Hill-side tie. As a finishing touch he kept trying his look with and without his grey jacket, and decided on a more casual look. You just know he's thinking, yep, it's working for me.

Bobbele Becker

Bobby did Tennis Camp for the first time this Easter holiday. On the second day came into our bedroom in the morning wailing 'I don't want to go to tennis camp!' When I enquired about why not given that he'd had so much fun the day before, he said, 'Because I can't find my shorts! (the denim cut offs with the toggles he is wearing) They were in the washing basket. Upon me retrieving them from the dirty pile, he skipped to camp that day and ended up winning the trophy for 'player of the day'. We don't call him Bobbele for nothing.

Bobby the Viking

Bobby is currently obsessed with all things Viking, Knights, Asterix and Obelix... At a recent sleep over at his auntie Mag's and Alex's house, Bobby constructed his latest viking helmet, shield and sword. At nursery, he has become the resident sword-maker.

It's party time

Like any mother, I worry how much TV is too much, but am currently witnessing the upsides of letting the kids watch movies. I don't know where he gets it, but his current shtick is to shake his bum and say 'It's party time'. Other favourites from the holidays in Croyde were him saying 'I do love a picnic,' in the Queen's English, when eating fish and chips next to our glorified portacabin.

Crab action in Croyde

For his crabbing expedition in Croyde over the Easter break, Bobby wore his Tretorn wellies, his shredded to pieces, but holding on for dear life leggings, his blue fleece with thumb holes, a rain jacket and his furry hat. And the obligatory hob nob.

A tailoring triumph

When I first told you guys about Bobby's Easter bonnet, it was but the mere beginnings of his creation. He had originally said 'I want a middle-sized blue square for my hat'. Then he decided that the design should be in the shape of an easter bunny, so his description is as follows: The circles on either side or the bunny's eyes, the spaghetti is the bunny's whiskers and the yellow lines or his teeth. The white muffin case is a flower. He was so incredibly proud of his creation and he kept saying ''We get a prize if we did our hats ourselves, right mama?' And also, 'My teachers are going to LOVE my hat!'

The vicar came to judge the competition at Bobby's nursery and had all the kids sit down in a group. I couldn't stop laughing because all you could see of Bobby's hat was the underside of the blue square, which showed a kid playing with a plastic toy (He'd cut the board from a toy box). There are about 45 kids all together. He said, 'On a hot day like today, I'd most like to be wearing the nicely ventilated hat, which really stood out from the rest. I think it has a pond on it.' And he called Bobby's name. Bobby was so embarrassed about winning he ran over to me and hid in my lap. Once the embarrassment had settled, he was so proud. As was his mama.

Superhero Bob

Bobby spent Saturday dressed as spiderman, but he felt his outfit wasn't quite there so he put a canvas Pepper Pig contraption on his head at one point.

Grandpa's hat

Bobby came into our bed this morning fully dressed. A blue button down shirt, his 'new jacket', leggings and Grandpa Reynolds hat. I love the fact that he now wants to dress himself and not get us involved. I look forward to the surprise every morning.

The Gracie Brothers NW10

Bobby and his pals have started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and it's all about the gi they wear or as Milly calls them 'pyjamas'. From left: Felix, Logi, Marley and Bobs. Are you scared yet?

Mama am I a football team?

It's all about football at the minute. "Mama where are my football shorts?! I need my football T-shirt!" And when he's got those on he says "Mama, am I a football team now?". Hell yeah, I think. You're just missing the odd player...

Bobby's been really involved with the 'Save Kensal Rise Library campaign', so he really wanted to wear this badge I got at the Zadie Smith reading last night at the Paradise pub. It reads "little legs need local libraries".

The Easter Bonnet

Last year, let's face it, the parents got rumbled. A couple of us had gone to Woolworth's and just blobbed bits on a cap. This year, the kids were under strict instructions to create their own bonnet. Bobby knew straight away 'I want a middle-sized square hat.' So he cut a square out of a bigger cardboard box. He painted it blue, 'like the sky'. Then he planted the chicks in egg cartons and the two strips of white paper on the far end are 'the easter bunny's teeth'. Look out Philip Treacy. Bobby Bone Tie is gonna get you.

Red Nose Day

It was Red Nose Day at Bobby's Nursery last week and the kids had to get dressed up as their favourite Gruffalo character. Obviously, he didn't want to be the mouse. We made the claws out of an old cereal box and the purple prickles from wooden clothes pegs. Happiness equals an excuse to wear a crazy outfit

What's that?

This video was shot about 9 months ago. We were getting ready to go on holiday to Munich and Bobby was all ready to head to the airport, with his car-shaped rucksack. Proud to have his own luggage. Alice just reminded me that it was perfect for Bobby Bone Tie. The conviction is priceless.

The Bone Tie

Where is my bone tie mama? (He still hasn't realised it's not called 'bone tie', and that it isn't actually a bow tie) Can you find my bone tie? Bobby Loves his 'new jacket' made by Alice and Carry at Ziggy Smalls. He's been calling it his 'new jacket' since he got it a year ago. The selvedge tie is made bespoke by America Man at The Hill-side. As for the Billy Idol pose? That's interpretation...

I need this hat

'Look what I found! Hamish has this hat mama. I need to wear my sunglasses too because the sun is out.' (It isn't actually). The tights and shorts look is a favourite. And of course the football shoes, 'because I'm going to play football at kindergarten today.'