Little Rainbows

Three

2012-01-30T19:59:00.001Z

Three years ago today this little girl made her arrival into the world, beautiful and so so welcomed. Especially by her big sister, a not quite 3 year old Megan, who was so excited to meet her sister and couldn't wait for her to be big enough to play with. We had an amazing year learning to be a family of four.

Two years ago today Isobel turned one and amazed us all with how clear she is about who and what she is and wants, we had a wonderful year full of special firsts as she grew - alot!

A year ago today she was two, in what seemed like the blink on an eye she was leaving babyhood behind and becoming a little girl, even more certain of self and with a wicked sense of humour.

Her second year on this planet has been amazing, words have become sentences, grunting and pointing have become fully fledged games, tottering steps have become running, jumping, climbing, early love has become deep attachments - to doggie, Megan (or not depending on her mood) and anything else that takes her fancy. My baby really is growing fast, finding her independence in all things.

And now she is three. Older than her sister in the first picture above, funny, cheeky and oh so strong minded, lovable and a real mommies girl when the mood takes. Can't wait to see what the next year brings.

Snapshot

2012-01-29T20:40:00.003Z

You love melon, grapes, bananas and rice. You can take or leave meat and potatoes (unless covered in daddies home made gravy). Your favourite story is the Gruffalo, your favourite song is "London's burning". You love to be outdoors, get a bit crazy if cooped up for too long and don't like the word "no". You love your sister - most of the time - but you fight if she tries to boss you around. You are desperate to be "big" like her. You love Sam, and desperately miss George - asking often if we can bring him home. You like music to dance to, and sparkly dressing up outfits. You hate mismatched PJ's or not being allowed to wear your first choice of outfit. You love your doggie, he is your constant companion. You play pets all the time with Megan, taking it in turns to be the cat or puppy. You love to snuggle in mommy and daddies bed and hate getting up. You don't want to be helped with your coat or shoes. Your favourite colour is pink and your favourite animal is a leopard. You want wobbly teeth like your big sister. You love Tom and Jerry and the Muppets (especially Fozzy bear), you like water but not squash. You love the bath but aren't keen on the shower. You have an amazing sense of humour and like to play jokes. You chatter all the time to anyone that will listen. You love to run. You are 3 tomorrow.

Just stuff

2012-01-21T15:31:00.005Z

A very normal kind of week. Rob's hours and travel are back to normal, and work is chugging along with no major issues, so it's all been a fairly relaxed start to the new year, chilling out and going just regular old stuff.

So what does stuff look like?

Well, Megan experimenting with the camera for one, not sure why I'm wearing a dressing up head band but that's what she wanted to there we are!

Washing up - Izzy loves to clean!

Plasticine animals and associated imaginative play. They play really nicely most of the time now, we have odd issues, mainly Meg being over prescriptive in games, or Izzy refusing to share, but on the whole we have games of dens, houses, super heros, hospitals etc which rarely require adult intervention and are an absolute joy to watch.
Colouring - she still looses patience, but is really starting to get the idea.

Making pie - Meg was off playing one of those prescriptive games (involving fairy and unicorn school and very specific rules) and they'd fallen out so Isobel came to decorate the pie crust for dinner.
Drawing, Meg would do this all day every day (when not playing fairies) given a chance!

We made ice sun catchers to put out in the garden.

Isobel decides that no toys are required when there are the stones from the fire to play with (they are her pets apparently).
Making homemade pizza for family movie night. Their own individual ones naturally to cater for the different topping choices!

So all very normal and not very exciting, but a nice change from rushing around, long may it continue :-)

Wintery Walking

2012-01-14T16:07:00.005Z

Today we made the most of the current colder weather to enjoy a lovely wintery walk in the cold but glorious sunshine.

Wrapping up warm and getting outside is just so lovely when the sun is shining brightly. We headed up to the nearest park and had a wonderful time running round and enjoying the frosty grass.

We also did a bit of nature spotting and found these early catkins, and brought home huge handfuls of fallen alder cones for the seasonal table.

We enjoyed the swings and had the park all to ourselves! I even remembered to take a cloth to wipe the swings (instead of ending up with wet bottoms)!

We experimented with the ice on the benches.

And even did some literacy practice!

This little monkey can walk - Meg at the same age was always a tad reluctant with long distances, but Isobel never moans she just gets on with it - probably as she is mainly chasing her big sister round! With that oh so familiar call of "me too".
And of course in the sunshine there was no ice, but fab shadows to play with!

Then we headed home for hot chocolate, a warm bath and snuggley story time. All in all a lovely day :-)

Isobel Grace

2012-01-08T19:25:00.005Z

Megan was Baptised at 8 months, and we fully intended for Isobel to be Baptised at a similar age, we have a lovely church and we're fairly active within the church community, so it's something that's important to us. But around the time we started thinking about it was when my Grandmother was diagnosed with cancer, so we decided to wait till she was better and done with treatment so she could enjoy the event too, but she didn't get better, and then life got in the way with all the upheaval at work, so it took till September to get round to booking a date - Today.

And what a lovely day it was, a simple service, within the main family mass and then a family get together at ours. I was going for a mad hatter tea party kinda theme for the food, hence the abundance of pink and cakes. There were vegetables and sandwiches too!

Isobel was in her element! And loved seeing all the family and being the princess of the day. Here she is with godmother (and for all intents and purposed grandmother) Wendy Lady.

She received some lovely gifts, and so many beautiful words of wisdom for us to hold for her till she is old enough to understand. We loved this lovely cross stitched letter I from my Auntie Ann, which is going on the wall in the girls room.

She had great fun cutting the cake, and was a little too gun-ho with the knife for daddies liking!

And of course she enjoyed dressing up in her lovely (£6 second hand from ebay) dress. I asked Isobel what she thought about her baptism and she said "Father mark, cross head, bath with water (aka font!), mine Jesus now" so I think she got the idea ;-)

It really was a lovely way to start the year.

2011

2011-12-31T14:13:00.004Z

I've chosen a picture for each month of the year, and have to say I had rather too much fun mooching through all the pictures, and rather a hard job picking just 12!

All in all last year was ok, work was difficult and I've lost a lot of really good friends as a result of the changes (we're still in touch but it's just not them same as seeing them everyday) and of course we said a sad goodbye our beloved boy. But there have been lots of nice things too, not least my two precious girls who've grown up so much this year. It seems like we're well and truly passed the baby baby phase and I have two rapidly growing little girls, who play together more and fight less that a few month ago. We've also got stuff accomplished home wise and mostly, I feel the balance that was totally missing is coming back, not all the time, but enough that it feels ok.

January - a special little girl is 2! (I seriously can't believe this was nearly a year ago!)

February - Chinese New Year - dragons :-)

March - a special bigger girl is 5! (and already really can't wait to be 6)

April - the annual bluebell woods picture.

May - a day frolicking in the Clent Hills to celebrate my days birthday.

June - paddling pool weather and a special boy taking the opportunity for a lick of a lolly.

July - sunny family walks and picnics.

August - a much needed and very lovely holiday.

September - leaf play on the way home from school :-)

October - Halloween and Autumn crafts.

November - a sad month as we said goodbye to our special boy, but also filled with cosy family time.
December - these two really do love each other very much.

So with that we look forward to another year. There are things that I hope get better over the next 12 months, mostly work related, and there are things I hope continue to develop, notably this lovely friendship between my girls and there are new things I want to do and try (really want a go at needle felting) so I'm really looking forward to a fresh year and a fresh start.

Christmas

2011-12-28T18:47:00.000Z

Well what a lovely busy family Christmas we had. We spent time with most close members of our family over the holiday period, which was lovely, and the girls have been making the most of lie ins, a bit more TV and family activities. Including loads of baking - biscuits, sweets, cakes, and a chocolate Yule log.

The real fun started on Christmas Eve with the arrival of Grandad and Wendy and Hayden, who were soon joined by my mum and dad and sister and nephew, so that whole family could attend the Christingle service at our church. It was a lovely service and really got me into the Christmassy spirit.

Then it was dinner (always boiled ham, jackets and red cabbage on Christmas Eve) and a change into Christmas pj's before commencing the traditional Christmas reading of "The Night Before Christmas", which rather amusingly Grandad and Wendy's new pup (a lovely springer called Lucille) also seemed to enjoy!

Stockings were hung and a mince pie, carrot and nip of southern comfort were left out for Santa and his reindeer.

The next morning started at 5am! With a very excited Megan shouting "he's been, he's been". Thus waking up the rest of the house and starting Christmas day with stockings in our bed and then heading downstairs to see if Santa has left anything else.

They were almost as excited by the arrival of baby Jesus in the manger as they were by the presents left under the tree. The much longed for Dolly pram for Isobel and a wooden fairy castle and fairies for Megan. Santa also left mummy a very nice pair of boots and a Cath Kidson bag so Mummy was rather impressed.

So after presents and the traditional breakfast of coffee/hot chocolate and pastries, we all showered and dressed for Christmas dinner. My two scrubbed up fairly well (I'm especially impressed by Meg's £4 ebay dress - Monsoon no less!).

Christmas dinner was a lively affair, with a very traditional prawn cocktail, beef roast dinner and Christmas pudding.
The afternoon was spent with a doggy walk, a movie and then a visit from Mom and Dad and my sister and her hubby and Liam for Christmas tea and lots of games and chatter.

Boxing day was spent over at my parents, which included a lovely walk and visit to the local park, a hilarious game of charades, some silly dancing and a lovely tea of veggie chili and rice.

Before coming home, so the girls could enjoy some time playing with their new toys (and I'm very pleased to say so far we've managed not to fight (too much) over who plays with which toys and when!)
All in all it's gone really well and has been lovely and restful and relaxing and a true family Christmas.

Relaxing week

2011-12-23T22:57:00.007Z

We had a great first week of the holidays, all of us at home and chilling out and doing lots of festive activities, but also just being lazy and not going anywhere and mooching round the house doing bits of various crafty projects, a bit of pre-Christmas cleaning, and lots of games with dollies and various sized cardboard boxes. The girls have also been playing out a fair bit as it isn't that cold (for December!).

We took the girls and their cousin to see the very pretty lights at a local garden centre, and I can't get over how grown up Isobel looks in this picture! I think it's the shoes as she and Meg had matching ballet pumps to go with their Chistmas dresses.

Isobel is really getting into imaginative play and the whole small world thing, and she loved looking at these miniature houses and spent a fair old while talking to the little people.

We took the girls ice skating on a temporary rink in the town centre, which they both really enjoyed, it was so sweet when we walked passed the same spot a couple of days later and Izzy said, "oh ice skating gone, not fair!".

They did a wall-paper nativity with Sunday school, which they really enjoyed and as they all had an equal role in telling the story based on their pictures, it was a great all age activity.

And the highlight of the week was tea and a story with Santa and Nana. A very lovely Santa and a very magical build up to Christmas for two very excited little girls.

Preparation

2011-12-11T21:32:00.000Z

Preparations for Christmas are very much under way. And despite Rob working away a lot over the past few weeks, we're all feeling pretty festive, and fairly organised for a change! Although I'm sure that'll change!

Today, after a lovely lunch out with people from church, we added to the few decorations we've been putting up piecemeal style over the last week or so, and put up the tree and my beloved mantelpiece swag.

We got out the nativity scene last weekend, and here is a picture of the girls enjoying playing with it. I always think it'd be lovely to add to it bit by bit as advent progresses, but they have so much fun that overrides my desire for a more ceremonious approach to it.

This was a 6am play session shot!

We also took our annual ride on the Santa Special at Chase Water railway, a fantastic vintage site where we're made to feel so welcome, and the staff (including the santa) spend so much time making the visit feel special. This year I was especially grateful to the "elf" who upgraded Izzy to an over 3 age group present because she knew she'd want to be just like her big sister.

We also received colour your own advent calendars in the post from a friend, which the girls love.

Meg did her school play on Friday, which was really lovely. Christmas round the world saw each class do a song/dance and tell interesting facts about the way Christmas is celebrated in different countries. It was brilliant, and Meg learned loads.

And finally gingerbread making as a quiet Sunday afternoon activity, I'm also planning to make a gingerbread house with them at some point in the week leading up to Christmas.

So all in all definitely feeling the preparative part of advent, just need to crack on and start tidying and finish a last few projects and then we'll be ready to really welcome the festive season.

Feeling Festive

2011-12-01T18:16:00.003Z

Well it's December 1st, advent calendars have been opened, we did a collage nativity scene when we got home from school and we've read the first of our "advent stories" before bedtime. So in the words of the song "it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas". I'm actually really excited about this year as both girls are at a fantastic age and are fully immersed in all the tradition and excitement of the season.

I grew up with lots of lovely close family time and little traditions at Christmas, which I'm loving passing on to the girls. So we got started last weekend, with Isobel's first ever trip to the theatre.

We went to see a production of Bagpuss, which was amazing, just 2 women playing with puppets on stage, but the simplicity of it was wonderful and so engaging, Isobel was enthralled and Megan loved the stories - especially the one about the Hamish.

I've also been busy making and baking for gifts, here is a batch of marmalade, I'm doing another batch at the weekend and having finally reconnected with my inner knitter have finished 5 hats and 2 scarves, and have a list of various other bits to get done for the big day.

Rather later than usual, due to being busy at work and Rob being away an awful lot with his job, we made the Christmas cake, which is now happily sitting in a tin waiting for a bit more brandy and some icing.

I also update the seasonal table, to it's pre-Christmas winter look, and hopefully, if I get a husband back this weekend I'll be retrieving the nativity set from the loft to add to it as the advent season progresses.

And last but by no means least my little twinkle star, who is so excited as it's the first year she really understands what is happening, she drifts around singing snatches of carols and is very clear she wants a pram from santa, nothing else, just a pram.

Rites of Passage

2011-11-23T10:20:00.005Z

Slightly later than planned (due to technical issues!!) here is a short post about my ever so grown up 5 year old who in the last week has lost her 2 first front bottom teeth and has had two visits from the tooth fairy. Seems like only yesterday we were waiting with baited breath for her first teeth to appear (9 August 2006 in case you're interested) and just over 5 years later we'd spent 2 weeks waiting for the wobbly tooth to become a really lose tooth and fall out.

I made her the certificate on the computer as I knew she'd appreciate it, and sure enough, at 5am she came running in shouting "she's been". She seems to be growing up before my eyes and developing a lovely sense of self. But we still get meltdowns and tantrums and moments where you'd swear she's 3 not nearly 6, which serve to remind us all that this little girl may be ever so grown up, but she is still quite little really (regardless of her view - which is "soon I'll be a teenager").

Our boy

2011-11-06T12:15:00.007Z

On Friday night at about 7pm Rob and I made one of the hardest decisions we have ever made. The decision to ask the vet to help out precious boy end his pain.

George was suffering from Lymphoma, and was only recently diagnosed, we hadn't even really finished the conversation about treatment and where next, when he started to take a dramatic down turn and began to vomit blood and stopped eating and drinking. We took him to the vets hoping we'd be able to buy him some time via medication to make him comfortable. But as our conversation with the vet progressed it became clear any time we might buy him wouldn't be quality time, so we asked the vet to end his suffering. It was heart breaking and Rob and I were devastated. He was our first "baby" and was a massive part of our family. Coming home without him and walking through the door into an empty house, needing to tell the girls the outcome of the visit to the vets was gut wrenching. I'm in tears as I type this as we're so desperately sad. But this post isn't about sadness, it's about joy, it's about the wonderful times we had with a fantastic boy, who taught us so many lessons about love and joy.

Rob and I bought our first house in April 2002, and in May 2002 went to the rescue centre to find a companion to share our house with. We've both always had dogs and couldn't wait to find one to share our home. That's how in 2002 a bouncy, very stupid (but so so lovable), 6 month old staffordshire bull terrier cross, called George, came to share our house.

That first day we picked him as he was the quiet watchful, sad eyed dog at the kennel, we walked him the 4 miles home and he made himself immediately at home on our hideous orange sofa - from then on he was constantly at our side. He was needy and suffered from various types of anxiety and we often called him "shadowfax" cos he was always there. He was at his happiest when all his family (pack) were sitting down together and he could snuggle with us.

When I was expecting Megan, someone asked if were were getting rid of this dog as he might not like being displaced by a baby, the thought hadn't even occurred to us. And from day one he loved the girls and welcomed them into his pack.

He was a constant presence, always there, for family walks in bluebell wood, when the girls took their first steps, at Christmases and birthdays. Always bouncy, always cheerful and always full of fun and up for a hug.

He was dopey and often knocked me over when we were out with his massive sense of exuberance, he was unsure of other dogs, but loved to play and jump and run. He hated water, and would anxiously dance about when he needed a wee and it was raining.

He loved those girls, and took every chance to be with them, and snuggle in their beds. He slept in or under our bed every night for 10 years. When Rob worked away he kept me company and made me feel safe. When he was younger he used to chew! Everything! He famously ate my wedding dress (luckily after it had been worn), and reduced a wooden futon base to matchsticks, and took plaster off the kitchen walls. He really did try our patience as he couldn't be left without destroying something, but when Rob was able to become a home based worker that all changed, and Georgie became his joyful office co-worker.

One of George's best things was the snow - he loved to catch snowballs and would chase round excited whenever the weather turned cold.

He was frighted of sheep, after being chased by them on a Welsh holiday and we've got a wonderful picture of him looking totally girlie, in a pink life jacket on a canal boat holiday. We also once managed to actually make him so tired he couldn't jump around (I think the one and only time), after 16 miles round a welsh reservoir!

He took to our recent new catty addition with no problem, and although was unsure of other dogs out of the house, was completely subservient to them when in the house. So when Cheeky Girl, Lady or Charlie came to visit, he always vacated him bed and lay on the floor. He snored like a train.

On his last day Rob took him for a final walk and we could see how in pain he was when he whined at every step on the way home and couldn't chomp up his stick like he usually tried to do. Rob took this final photo of him at the park, looking old and grey and thin - which was a far cry from our bouncy daft boy. But I'm so glad he took it as it's a lovely picture.

Our house feels quiet and unusually unchaotic without him here, coming home to no joyous welcome is awful, and the girls are very upset. Isobel asks for him and Megan just wants her boy back. I'm dreading Rob's next overnight working trip as with no dog to snuggle I'm going to feel awfully lonely, and I know Rob isn't looking forward to no office companion tomorrow.

We will get another dog, as our house just isn't a home without one, we've always been "doggie people". Another dog will never replace George, but it will mean we can honour his memory by offering the love and joy he taught us to another dog. But for now it's all too raw and sad - but as was the intention of this post - with rays of hope and joy too. We had a wonderful 10 years with our precious lad. So I hope he'll be waiting for me over the rainbow bridge when it's my time to join him. Until then he is always in our hearts, that dopey, big head tiny brain, totally soppy and lovable, digestive biscuit smelling dog.

Half term

2011-10-30T17:58:00.003Z

Can't believe it's Sunday and the end of the first half term of year one already!! We've had a lovely week - some work for me, but Rob and the girls were off all week. What a lot we've packed in!

Music sessions with daddy.

Visits to the park.

Halloween themed crafty sessions with Nana.

Pyjama theatre (they worked on the pictures together, then Izzy held them up whilst Meg narrated - they did Jackie and the beanstalk ;-) ).

A visit to Tamworth Castle (with excellent half term spooky stories that we not too spooky for little ears).

A visit to my sisters to see her and Liam.

Walks round the local neighbourhood, slinging our special doggie.

And dressing up to practice for Halloween.

Back to school tomorrow and on the downwards slope to Christmas!! Can't wait for spooky fun and frolics tomorrow :-)

Grapes

2011-10-16T15:41:00.000+01:00

A couple of year ago, Dav, next door, and Rob decided to grow grapes for wine making, mainly as it involved a nice day out at a vineyard picking and inspecting vines (and a little tasting too!).

Last year we had a very small crop, but this year we've done very well, so we picked our grapes.

Washed and took the stalks off, all the time getting very messy and having lots of grape squishing fun.
We boiled them down.

And then did lots of straining, in several batches.

Then the mash and some of the juice went next door for the start of the wine making process. Whilst I boiled up the rest of the juice, with sugar (I really love this colour).

And made 9 jars of lovely, home grown grape jelly. Which is the start of my Christmas hamper making. I've got marmalade, chutney and more jelly (apple and mint), planned too.

Autumn - what Autumn?!

2011-10-03T19:32:00.003+01:00

After my previous post about hot chocolate and jumpers this weekend's weather was a bit of a surprise, but one we had a whale of a time enjoying.

Saturday started with a trip to church to decorate the sunday school window for harvest, followed by a picnic at the park, where this little daredevil delighted in showing off to her Nana and the much bigger children on the zip wire.
And this bigger one conquered her fear and climbed the wall, twice just to prove it wasn't a fluke, she is so proud that she can do it now, it's great to see her physical confidence grow, as she has noticed Isobel's fearlessness (the only thing stopping Izzy climbing the same wall is that she can't reach the bottom handholds!) and has been feeling a little left out.

We also enjoyed not bothering with the swings and slides and just rolling down the slopes.

Then Sunday was harvest festival at church, which was lovely as Father Mark made bread for his sermon and let all the children help. Followed by an impromptu bbq to harvest our grapes. We got loads, this isn't even half, so I'm planning jam (or jelly), cordial and even some wine :-)

Plus we decided to have a little go at treading grapes the old fashioned way, although only a sample go, as having seen the state of my girls feet, I don't think it's perhaps the cleanest way to do it.

The unexpected sunshine felt like a bit of a treat, and we've had a lovely time, but between you me and the gatepost part of me can't wait to have autumn back.

Family time

2011-09-25T10:39:00.001+01:00

Rob and I are blessed with a wonderful family, some who we see loads of, and others we'd like to see more of but distance and time are an issue. And over the last few weeks we've managed to see most people in one guise or another, so I thought I'd dedicate a post to our families, and the kind of things we get up to.

My sister Nikki and her son Liam, live fairly close and so we see them alot which is great as the cousins are all fairly close in age and play pretty well together. Here they all are making pizza for tea.

Rob's dad and step-mom and son, are also frequent visitors, although due to location not as frequent as they or us would like, so when we see them we make the most of it, with lots of cuddles.

And of course accompanying Grandad when he plays the guitar.

Uncle Hayden is a huge favourite in the house, and is known affectionately by Meg as "the grumpy teenager". He's brilliant with the kids and apart from hiding under the duvet at 6am wakings (well in honesty who wouldn't?), he spends hours playing with them when he's here.

We've also been fortunate recently to spend time with more removed family, and last weekend visited my Aunt for her 70th birthday. Her granddaughter (so I think my 2nd cousin) is also called Megan, so this is big Meg and little Meg enjoying the novelty of a shared name.

And of course a kiss from the birthday lady, who is most definitely 70 years young (and with 4 dogs and 2 cats has a house the girls think is a bit like a petting zoo!)

And last but not least my mum and dad, who are very frequent visitors and rescuers when we have work/childcare crises. Dad and Izzy have a special bond and are clearly from the same mould. Mom and dad are those fab grandparents who tickle and wrestle, and pop over when the cats needs a trip to the vets, or mommy needs collecting from the airport, and who join us for family days out and trips to the theatre.

As I said we're blessed and I'm so lucky to have such a brilliant family for the girls to grow up in, long may it continue.

Autumn

2011-09-24T08:50:00.000+01:00

Autumn is my favourite season, still warm enough to be outside, but cold enough for blankets and hot chocolate when you get home. Outside the world is beautiful, leaves change colour and trees and bushes are heavy with fruit to pick. I've just started making damson cheese, and in a week or so our grapes will be ready for grape jelly :-)

We've been getting outside lots, just enjoying the nice Autumnal weather, I love this shot of Meg on the beach from our recent visit to family in Brighton (bitter sweet as a funeral, but at the same time lovely to see family) - it was cold and blustery but oh so lovely to be by the sea.

Autumn makes the school run way more fun too. We take the long way round and walk through these communal gardens which have lovely trees and lots of leaves, Isobel says "crunchy munchy leaves".

They have been loving playing chase and throwing leaves at each other, I've had one or two funny looks walking back through town with 2 bedraggled leaf covered children, but the rosy glows and big smiles are more noticeable than the mess (I think so anyway!).

The girls love Autumn too. Last weekend we went on our annual family conker collecting walk. We found loads and loads and the girls have been using them for all sorts of games.

Having a picture taken on this stump is an annual ritual, started when Meg was 2. The grin is still the same but she's oh so much taller now! And of course there is a little sister to pose with.So here they are, having a quick picture, whilst daddy does his annual monkey impression.

And here is our recently updated autumnal table.

So altogether with the leaves and the conkers and the start of Autumn term and the cooler weather its feeling altogether very autumny round here. Just in time for yesterdays equinox. So we're settling in for a quiet cosy autumny kind of weekend.

Getting my mojo back :-)

2011-09-07T18:00:00.001+01:00

It's been a tough old few months, what with uncertainty around my job and Rob working away loads, and Isobel discovering toddler tantrums in a really big way, it's felt for a while like we were just surviving, but more recently I've started to feel more like we are actually living (I suspect in large part due to a much needed holiday!). We've been together more and getting out and about and we're working on ways to minimise the tantrums and get some routine and rhythm back in our daily lives. And I think, at the moment at least, we're winning.

We've decided to update the conservatory art theme (its been "fairyland" for a while), the girls have now decided they want to have a woodland scene (like the enchanted wood), so this is them hand painting leaves (and arms, hair and faces :-) ). Art has suddenly become so much easier (apart from anything involving pom poms, honestly I'm sure if you used super glue those things wouldn't stick!!!) as Isobel is more able to do her own thing (without eating the paint!), and then they love to "wash up" for ages afterwards.

We've been baking - an activity that was off the agenda for a while as they just couldn't share, but with some planning we've worked it out and Isobel was so impressed with these cakes she made and iced "all by herself".

Isobel has also started making things that she says are actual things (and kinda look like what she says they are), this was her building a wooden block robot.

We've been busy making fairy dens under the table (a good opportunity for working on sharing a small space, something which has been a huge issue recently!)

We had a fab trip to the Sandwell show, which involved loads of giant veg, a craft marque, a visit to the clown and a few rides. We all had a great time just mooching and seeing what there was too see. Plus I came home with a lovely set of handpainted winnie the pooh glass jars (thanks mum :-) ). The fair there is quite big and there were a number of quite big rides, including some awful spinning thing, that caused one poor guy to be sick, Isobel still keeps saying, "man, sick, ride!".

I love this shot of our picnic at the show because we were just mucking about and the girls were teasing each other mugging for the camera, and I think this captures us all well, especially that wonderful fake sulky face of Isobel's, which only just hides her big giggle.

Much to our extreme happiness they have built a fab new play area next to Sandwell farm, it's been very busy in the holidays but is really nice (how tempted am I to play hooky so we can get it all to ourselves!). This little wendy house is lovely and Isobel had great fun playing house.

There are some decent climbing frames and slides and a sandpit as well as a number of random wooden animals to climb on, including this horse and a donkey. We've been 3 times in the last 2 weeks - can't get enough of free entertainment :-).

So all in all a cracking last couple of weeks of the school holidays, which I think has left us all feeling a little more centred and ready for the next school term (this week at least anyway!)

Holiday time

2011-08-22T11:17:00.000+01:00

We spent last week in Torquay, our first in a caravan (I'm warming Rob up for camping but don't tell him ;-) ). We had a great time and it was lovely just doing our own thing and not getting distracted by work and house stuff.

The site had a great play area, and the girls spent loads of time chasing round and making friends to play mermaids and pirates and other games. It was lovely to watch Meg build her confidence on the zip wire, and by the end of the week she was haring up and down on it with no assistance.

The first couple of days were spent mooching and enjoying the beach, crazy golf and eating too many fish and chips.
The water was cold, but that didn't stop Meg getting saturated. Which of course she found hilarious. Isobel was more content to mooch around in the sand as she didn't like the seaweed.

On Monday we did the "round robin" - a stream train from Paignton to Kingswear, a ferry over the river to Dartmouth and then a river boat to Totnes and an open top bus back to Paignton. It was a lovely day and the girls had a great time exploring Dartmouth Castle. Isobel especially enjoyed the river boat, it was windy but there was alot to see, including seals (she was very excited).

It was also a long day and this picture was the result. There were more beds but they chose on this occasion to share and were out like lights in seconds.

On Wednesday we went to Paignton zoo, it was pretty bad rain but we still had a fab time, it's a lovely zoo and the girls were especially impressed with this Lioness, who came right up to the glass to see them.
Given the opportunity I think this little monkey would have stayed..............

Thursday was another wet day so we stayed close to base enjoying the pool and having an afternoon snooze. It was lovely. The pool was great and again it was brilliant to watch the confidence increase over the course of the week. Isobel eventually plucked up the courage to go on the flume, and loved it - she was so proud of herself and then of course went on again and again.

Friday however was a very different story, the sunshine was glorious, so we spent the day on the beach at Babbacombe, using the vintage cliff railway to get down and enjoying walking the coastal path round to see some of the sights.

We saw quite a few painters on the way and Meg loved watching them, they were also very impressed to discover this little waterfall, tucked away on the path.

After the treat of lunch at a very nice pub (the Cary Arms if you happen to be in Babbacombe), we spent a happy afternoon rock pooling and climbing up and down rocks, as well as learning about rock strata and how fossils are made (following up on our trip to Torquay dinosaur world earlier in the week).
We were very sad to say goodbye and Megan announced when she wins the lottery she'd like to buy our caravan :-)

So we're home again and daddy is already in London working whilst we paint and make the most of the sunshine in the garden. Only 2 weeks left of school holidays, so in between some obligatory work I plan to enjoy whats left of the summer :-)

Dressing up

2011-08-12T06:43:00.001+01:00

I was browsing through my photos the other day and realised just how much time my girls, and seemingly everyone else who walks through my door spend dressed up (adults included!). So I thought I'd dedicate a post to our favourite pastime, dressing up.

Even my nephew, the biggest typical "boy" there is, engages in fairly play when he comes to visit.

We even manage to borrow dressing up clothes from other children on our street! This is Isobel in the princess wimple of the girl over the back fence!

Meg loves to improvise and makes costumes out of anything, here she is a butterfly with a pipe cleaner and piece of fabric (good job I happen to have lots of pink sparkly material lying around ;-) ).

We also take advantage of opportunities to dress up anywhere we can - the Art gallery is a huge favourite, both girls love the alien costume.

This is the most recent picture, Meg decided to use pruned leaves and vines to make a fairy costume at the weekend, the leaves also acted as a rather effective umbrella when it started raining!

At the moment Meg swings between wanting to be a nurse/doctor or zoo vet or fashion designer for career choices (although generally zoo vet wins as she wants to work with Hippos and Elephants), so she often designs dresses with the fabric from the box, and likes nothing more to pose in them!

Izzy also gets into the act, and loves her bumblebee outfit. Although interestingly hates face paint, another surprise since her sister loves it.

This outfit is for a game called "Lily-hopper fairies" that Meg invented, I think the hopper bit is the bunny ears, and the bare chests are to do with the fawns in Narnia apparently. Still the photo makes me chuckle, as I love the copycat poses and how willing Izzy is to be involved in proper games now (on her own terms of course!)

I'm sure there will be lots more dressing up to come, my only question is "can I join in?" :-)

If I could press stop right now...

2011-08-02T21:17:00.000+01:00

This little girl is very rapidly leaving her babyhood behind, and everyday takes more strides into independence, today she has taken herself to the toilet, wiped, flushed and washed her hands, only telling me about it afterwards ("mommy, poo toilet", "flush", "look clean hands"). So I though I'd take the opportunity (before she is suddenly all grown up), to ponder about Isobel Grace, just as she is, aged exactly 2 years 6 months.

Isobel, is my cheeky little firebrand, feisty, totally fearless and with a wicked sense of humor and an even bigger sense of injustice (especially where her sister is concerned, love help the person who has the cheek to treat them differently just because she is 3 years younger!).

She loves her sister, with all consuming, sometimes painful, love and cuddles and kisses.

She has no tolerance for being told no, and if she can't do something, she will always find a way (or a stool to stand on!)

She has a clear sense of her place in the world, and loves her family, especially my dad, her Grumpa.

She has a strange love of tea, strong and milky. Which considering her older sister hates the stuff (and I'm not keen) is a bolt from the blue, she also prefers a cup and saucer, but will compromise by using her train mug.

She loves to mug for the camera, and is a total poser. She is not as big as a gorilla.

She has the best "not fair" face in the world, and will totally ham it up given the chance, a consummate actress, who has already perfected, with teenage attitude, the phases "I'm coming" and "in a minute". Her first words were "me" mine" "no" and "me do it", her now more extensive vocabulary includes, "no! you get it" and "no clothes, like naked" and "yuck!" to anything she doesn't like.

But underneath the cheek and the sass and the independence, is a little girl who rescues bugs from the pond, and who sings her bears to sleep and who gives cuddles and kisses so freely. She loves animals and spends ages chattering in her funny little voice to the dog and hamster.

She is in turns leader of the pack and dawdler at the back when we're walking. She loves to be outside, and again in total contrast to her sister, hates holding hands and will wander far without ever turning for reassurance.

It seems like the blink of an eye since this little girl was my babe in arms, it seems like the blink of an eye since her sister started teaching me about motherhood, and I was surprised to have another so different, but oh so lovely, to teach me yet more things about the the ways of being a mom, not least how to bite my lip, and to resist saying "be careful" as she flings herself round the highest climbing frames at top speed!

Bits and bobs...

2011-07-30T15:47:00.000+01:00

...and I mean bits and bobs, completely random photos from the last few weeks by way of a catch-up. The last few weeks have been very strange, completely busy and because of events at work, very stressful (made worse by Rob working away, weekends and generally silly hours), but also with fabulous pockets of calm.

These photos are some of those pockets, baking scones with the girls, for a proper English afternoon tea (after doing the same at multi-cultural week at school).

Playing chase in the maze.

Building a castle with giant draughts and chess pieces.

Finding "Sandwell by the sea" completely randomly, and enjoying a boat ride.

Walking, cradling and singing to doggy.

Visits to the park.

And Walsall arboretum lido (again randomly without planning, so 2 girls in the water in pants and vests, and then home in dry clothes sans pants and vests).

Exploring a stream.

And playing in the sand, together without squabbling, something which is happening more and more and is lovely to watch.

Work stuff is slowly sorting itself out, the girls are beautiful, and Rob is home sleeping on the sofa and not working for the first time in weeks, the sun in shining, the paddling pool is filling, after a fun morning at the park and local farm. What more can a girl ask for?

Half term

2011-07-03T13:35:00.000+01:00

Ok it's now ages since half term, but we had such a nice week I wanted to come back and post about it, but it does make me think that if it takes me this long to do small things (like post on the blog) how many balls am I actually dropping!! Ah well I'll save that navel gazing for another post and concentrate on lovely pictures and nice family time.

Monday was supposed to be a trip to the big book bash, but with bank holiday transport, torrential rain and a teething 2 year old we decided to stay closer to home. With a splashy muddy walk, followed by hot chocolate and lego.

We also, after much debate, welcomed a new arrival in the form of Burt, a hamster, although Isobel insists he is a squirrel! I've had hamsters for years, and the last one went when Meg was about 6 months, but I've always missed them, and since Meg is animal mad it seemed like a good idea. And actually it is, he's lovely and so tame, spending hours each night haring round the living room, and both girls are doing very well with gentle hands.

Tuesday was a trip to Stratford butterfly farm. It was fab and lovely and sunny in complete contrast to the Monday! Isobel loved the butterflies landing on her and was so gentle, it was an amazing visit.

Wednesday was a visit to a local play centre where they dashed about like mad things for 2 hours.

Thursday was a stay at home artsy crafty day, including caterpillar cork painting.

We also updated the seasonal table to a more summery feel!

Friday was dressing up and garden partying day. Izzy loved being a bee.

And Meg had a fab time decorating the garden and putting on a show!

The weekend was also full of ourdoorsy time, with water fights between daddy, Meg and neighbour child.

And digging and general gravel play for Isobel.

Home

2011-06-05T18:00:00.001+01:00

Besides the crafts in the last post we've also been real homebodies for alot of May. We've been a little more home centred for two reasons, the good reason is just the simple joy of doing homey tasks in the sunshine, like my beautiful big girl washing her dolly clothes (earlier in May as you can see from the sunshine!) and of course enjoying snuggly warm insidey days when it's wet.

The not so good reason is that things are really bad for me at work at present, can't really go into details (as there are still alot of unknowns), but suffice to say the big R word is a possibility. Which means lots of stuff going round my head, lots of what ifs, buts and maybes and lots of thinking to do.....

So as a result home is my rock right about now. So I'm making the most of my eye in the storm and hiding just a little, taking joy in those simple tasks - like watching my girls make bread, and loving getting sticky rather than worrying about what will or won't be workwise.

I'm also busy watching this feisty little miss take more and more steps to independence, which is amazing even if occasionally difficult! By which I mean of course that everything has to be on her terms, her way, and immediately, like right now!! Which of course is not always possible - so the result is huge toddler style meltdowns, the way only a two year old can throw them. But we're generally coming off better than we did with big one at this age as we're old hands now! So I'm not complaining too much, honest!

Washing up is her absolute favourite thing to do atm, and is a brilliant distraction from those tantrums. That said, as I type this she's snuggled on my lap looking at the blog pictures and sucking her thumb so not all tantrums, in fact lots of niceness and homemaking.

I should find out about work towards the middle of July, so till then it's business as usual and I suspect lots more homey stuff just to keep the perspective.

It's all about the craft

2011-05-26T18:12:00.003+01:00

Since the weather has turned we've been outside less and crafting more. Isobel in particular is really starting to enjoy colouring and painting and most of all sticking - she says "stickin pitcha". Plus she loves spiders - so when I found these insect cut outs at the works I couldn't resist.

Meg too has been making the most of crafty time, I found a lovely fairy colouring book and she is loving colouring in each page, really carefully and with so much patience.

It made me laugh that when we did hand painting this contrary minx chose to paint round her hand rather than on it!

Meg and Daddy have also been experimenting with acrylics and water colours, with really fun results. A non crafty development over the last few weeks is Meg's first bff - so cute - check out her left hand a friendship bracelet and drawing hearts on each others hand. They are totally inseparable - which is great as said little girl lives over the back fence.

Then this afternoon - ah bliss - a break from the very constant sisterly bickering. They both sat at the table engrossed in their activities, for at least 20 minutes, before someone took someones else's pencil and it all started again!

Remebering

2011-04-30T09:02:00.003+01:00

It's 12 months today since we lost this wonderful lady. I miss her very much but I try to live rembering her inspiration - and that is what she would have wanted, not moping or sadness but very much getting on with it. She never tired of saying - "the days when they are little are the most precious of your life". She is so right, so today instead of feeling her loss I will celebrate the lessons she taught me and hold my family close and just enjoy them.

Love you Grandma x

Easter

2011-04-30T08:54:00.000+01:00

We had a great Easter, I was off in the week leading up to the Easter weekend and we have a wonderful week of walks and picnics, and chilling with friends. Culminating in Easter weekend at Nana and Grumpa's house.

We also had time to do loads of crafts - many of which are on display on the Easter table. Megan is very clear on the Easter story this year and had a wonderful time telling it at church with the Sunday school children.

Easter morning was an egg hunt in bluebell woods (as per the previous post), Daddy ran ahead whilst we distracted the girls with putting a lead on the dog (and of course toddler pace is slower than daddy at full speed). They were delighted to find the eggs and balloons hanging from the trees (and collect them in the bags mommy conveniently had in her pocket!)

Meg spun a whole story that the Easter bunny must have dropped them on his way to deliver eggs - so earnest and lovely. The day finished with church, roast dinner and a small amount of chocolate whilst watching a family movie.

Easter monday was great - we went to the craft workshop and family day at the leather museum. It was great. A shadow puppet show of the cat who walked by himself (from just so stories), a wonderful traditional magic show, balloon modelling (cute ladybirds rather than the usual swords!), face painting, juggling and street performers and lots of crafts. It was wonderful, even miss fidget pants sat through (almost all) of the puppet show. And they loved making these chicken hats (rather informatively from brown envelopes).

It was a shame to go back to work and school, but I guess that's what makes these holidays so special - and as we're in the middle of another long weekend I won't moan too much.

Bluebell Woods

2011-04-27T17:43:00.000+01:00

My mum and dad live near a wonderful wood - I spent masses of time climbing trees and den making there as a child. And it's still one of my favourite places on the planet - quiet and calm and pretty much unadulterated (with the exception of the odd burnt our car courtesy of the village yobs!), there is loads of wild life, including buzzards and deer. So we take the girls there alot - I'm on a promise to build a den with Meg over the summer holidays. We've always made a special trip for the bluebells (with one sad exception), and so as this years trip was on Easter Sunday, I thought I'd share a few pictures from over the years.

Meg was a mere 6 weeks old when we made our first visit as a family.

The following year she was 1 and a bit, and daddy had just got back from a 3 week stint in India with work. It was brilliant to watch her toddling and giggling at the bluebells.

Everyone says how much my girls look alike but when I see photos like this one - I can really see how different they are.

Then in the blink of an eye Meg was two and this time daddy missed the bluebells due to work, but we were accompanied by Auntie Nikki (and baby Liam, who was about 5 months old here) and Great Grandma.

The next year Meg was three years old and we three had become four. This was my favourite year of all as we took a picnic and spent a whole day in the woods with mum and dad, Nikki, her hubby, Liam and Great Grandma. It was a beautiful day.

This was also one of my most favourite experiences of breastfeeding, sat cross legged back against a tree, for ages, feeding and just nattering, whilst picking at a picnic lunch and watching Meg and a bigger Liam chase the dogs round in the bluebells and trees.

Sadly we missed 2010, as the bluebells were late and we'd planned to do them for Dad's birthday on 3rd May, but on 30 April Grandma passed away and all plans went out the window. It's coming up to a year and I still miss her everyday, so the 2009 bluebell picnic has very special memories.

This year we visited again, spending the Easter weekend sunshine with Mum and Dad and mooching in the bluebells.

Rob hid eggs and balloons for the girls and we made it a special bluebell egg hunt, they had an amazing time, and the bluebells were more beautiful than ever.

St Georges day

2011-04-24T17:53:00.004+01:00

We had an amazing Easter weekend with Nana and Grumpa, which started with a visit to the St Georges day celebrations at Tamworth Castle.

They had a medieval village and jousting event, with plenty of children's activities, the local re-enactment society and very exciting falconry and horse events. We mooched and managed to bag a decent place on the field for the falconry display - Meg is owl mad and even Izzy said "Owwwl".

The men on horse back were fab - and probably very warm in that armour!! It was an amazing display and captivated the girls for a fair while.

St George was particularly good - getting the crowd to cheer for their favourites and boo the black knight.
The medieval village was good too - they had a spoon maker, armourer, surgeon, cook tent and astrologer. Meg particularly liked the surgeon as his descriptions were very blood thirsty! Isobel like the medieval music, but not the smoke coming from the cook tent!

The highlight of the day for Meg was being allowed to hold the barn owl (although daddy was a tad over protective!) She was thrilled and thought she was Hermione Granger for the rest of the day!
It was very hot so a nice cool walk back down the river and a lovely relaxing afternoon at Nana and Grumpa's followed.

The best of times

2011-04-17T20:45:00.000+01:00

This week I've really found my groove again, and we've had the most wonderful time, just pootling. I suspect it's been made better by work being slightly quieter for both Rob and I, and the good weather is making such a huge difference. I find myself singing hanging out the washing and genuinely smiling at the requests the 10th fresh t-shirt of the day due to water, sand and ice cream rather than smiling on the outside but having gritted teeth on the inside. It's like that metaphorical weight has been lifted - long may it last.

So to that end I've been making the most of the weekend, starting on Friday with a trip to the library for their Easter crafts session. They made eggs and masks, Isobel in particular was very impressed by her sheep mask. And often runs round the house "baaing".

Yesterday was brilliant, and completely just go with the flow. Meg went off to a friends house for a play date - lovely lad from church - they have a shared passion for lego, he's coming round to ours for the day on Thursday as his mum is working, so they were desperate to reciprocate hence the play date. Which meant Izzy and I had a lovely morning just the two of us, pottering and snuggling and reading stories.

Then as soon as Meg got home, next doors girls came round to play, which seems to be working out really well as a friendship, especially Steph, who is 8 and is great for Meg because she still loves imaginative play but has a real sense of balance and is so patient and caring with Izzy. I had planned to go to the local nature reserve in the afternoon, and Steph asked if she could come too (so we asked her mum, who said yes so she came too). And they had the best time. Skipping and walking and running and checking out all the springy sights.

They all loved this dusty bank, and spent ages climbing up and running/sliding down - just generally enjoying getting mucky.

They were totally absorbed by the nature we discovered during the walk. These mushrooms were a fairy village, and stories were told and games were played whilst I just watched and listened to their lovely chatter.

Then they all played happily at ours until bath time. Today was more of the same, chilled morning, church and sunday school (a very amusing game of pin the tail on the donkey for palm Sunday). And then a bit of time pootling round the church gardens - the blossom trees are so lovely and both girls were mesmerised.

I even managed to get a photo where they were both looking at the camera and smiling!

Then a trip to the park and an afternoon doing Easter crafts (with next doors kids of course) before the most angelic bath time (hair washing with laughter and not screaming!!! Cos I kept pretending I'd forgotten who I was washing). And as DH is in Brighton with my dad I'm just pottering round the kitchen and sorting out for a picnic with my sis tomorrow, whilst watching trashy crime drama and wondering whether this amazing weekend was luck or judgement?! Don't get me wrong it was all very ordinary - but I like ordinary, and I love my funny little monster who refused pudding cos she wanted to try a piece of all three colours of pepper I was chopping for tomorrows Chilli, and my beautiful big one who tells amazing mermaid stories to her sister in the bath.

Ragley Hall

2011-04-16T18:25:00.001+01:00

A fairly decent sunny start to the Easter holidays saw Meg and Izzy go to Ragley Hall with Nana and Auntie Nikki and Liam on Monday. They had a fab day and can't wait to go back. They explored the house, and gardens and play area, and had a lovely picnic by the lake.

My little feral children are enjoying every opportunity to be outside, which is great because the weather is so lovely there are lots of chances to be outside. Isobel in particular like to just mooch, looking and exploring and exclaiming "tree", "bug", "wow" and interestingly "mushroom"!

They also had a juggler at the play area and the girls had an amazing time learning how to juggle, do the diablo and spin plates. Megan is now expressing a desire to be in the circus when she grows up - apparently she wants to be a clown!

Meg particularly liked the plate spinning.

And I am informed by Meg that the play area "rocks". They were both little dare devils climbing and sliding down everything they could.

More on our Easter holiday exploits soon.

Sunny spring

2011-04-10T16:12:00.004+01:00

Well another wonderfully sunny weekend - so lots of time in the garden enjoying the sun and playing with the girls and assorted friends. It's been a real blessing as I've had a really nasty chesty cold thing, and needed some serious recovery time - so sitting in the sun reading, sometimes to me, sometimes aloud to them, whilst they enjoy sand and water has been fantastic. Although that said not too much resting, as little miss has back molars coming through and in between playing has been Velcro baby! Although that's not a moan, as it's been a terrible hardship snuggling on the sofa or in the garden with my little one whilst daddy runs round ;-) So Saturday morning, daddy was dispatched to town to buy a paddling pool as Meg was desperate for water - he came back with this castle monstrosity! But the girls loved it, especially Isobel, who in between snuggles spent the day happily transporting the sand into the water and vice versa. Daddy also found time to entertain us in the sun, with a mix of Nirvana, Johnny Cash, Green Day and Bob Dylan!

We also spent some time at the park, with a couple of balls and a blanket for momma to sit on. I love the feeling of running barefoot on grass, and so it would seem do the girls.

We also took the opportunity to do some park yoga.

And what sunny weekend would be complete without fairy children in the garden?

I feel really rested and almost back to health (although still very snotty!) after such a lovely weekend and am so looking forward to Easter, although I'm at work for most of next week so it's a combination of Daddy and Nana for the girls. They are off to Ragley Hall tomorrow with Nana and Auntie Nikki - so hopefully they'll have a nice day. Then I'm off the second week of the holidays and have lots of nice things planned (hopefully involving parks and picnics) so can't wait :-) Long may the sunshine continue!

mothers day weekend assortment

2011-04-05T14:45:00.007+01:00

This weekend was brilliant - manically busy as had in-laws plus teenage son to stay, but very lovely. A fab visit to The Public on Saturday, followed by competitive scrabble! The Sunday was mothers day, lovely homemade cards and gifts (a planted sunflower seed, daffodillys and chocolate) from my girlies and a surprise trip to Telford wonderland with the girlies and my mom.

Telford town park is fab - loads of play space, and different activities - Isobel loved the sand diggers.

Meg loved the very fast bumpy slide!

And they both loved wonderland! We were so lucky with the weather, it was pretty much warm and sunny, then 5 seconds after we got in the car started to hail!! Wonderland is basically a walk with various fairytale models and a few little rides. Meg loved the crooked house, and the old woman who lived in a shoe, Izzy liked snow whites house and the seven dwarf's mine (the look of glee on her face when pushing the dynamite plunger was slightly concerning!)

I also took the opportunity for gratuitous spring photos in the masses of daffodils in the park.

Then to top Mothers day it was my birthday yesterday, a fab day with the girls, just doing mommy things and chilling, followed by dinner out with hubby and the girls. The only down side is that work is still manic and I have a nasty sore throat! But I'm keeping on top of it and as per last post trying to re-focus my energies on stuff at home, although despite my previous bold statement I am yet to start any crafting!!!! But I'm looking forward to a decent chunk of time off for school Easter holidays so I suspect that will be the time to start.

Just chilling

2011-03-20T19:10:00.000Z

It's been really busy at work and home recently, so whenever we can we've been trying to do as little as possible, and just relax. It's working (kind of). I'm doing silly hours, and working lots when the girls are in bed and getting up at 4:30/5am to finish papers with tight deadlines, so that I can spend their waking hours with them. It's hard, and I have to confess I've had moments recently when I've felt really rubbish, like I'm not getting anything right. So these moments of calm and relaxation, helped greatly by the sun and the chance to get outside, are so precious. As I said, they are helping. I feel better than I did and the balance is slowly coming back.

So what do we get up to when we're chilling? Well mostly very little in the way of housework, lots of easy meals and lots of play time and outdoors time.

Easy meals, are mostly lots of fruit and veg and cheese, or bbq (sausages and salad). Served up in their favourite containers (cos they have cute little compartments) - yes that's right re-purposed plastic containers from chinese snack platters I bought for chinese new year. They are super sturdy plastic and wash really well.

We're also busy trying to get the garden started off, planting seeds for the mini-green house and general tidying and sorting.

Isobel is very big on nappy free time at the moment and regularly asks to be changed - I suspect her days of being a cloth bum are numbered, as she regularly asks for the potty and takes her nappy off given the chance - also good for chilling as less washing :-D Yesterday morning she dressed herself - removing trousers and nappy and adding wellies, Meg's hat, and two fleeces before "helping" daddy in the garden.

Days in the park are also good, especially with a ball, a skipping rope and a few other bits and pieces.

Meg loves her rainbow ribbon - now all we need are another few degree's in temperature so I can sit comfortably on a blanket and knit whilst they run round and we're sorted :-D That's another thing that's gone by the wayside recently!! I haven't picked up needles or anything crafty since christmas, and it's driving me potty. In fact, I've just decided, in thinking about how to regain that balance, I'm going to start something tonight and start taking bits to work to do on the train (instead of more work!).

The girls on the other hand have been craft mad recently, Meg is incredibly prolific and draws and writes all the time, and Isobel loves to scribble and stick. We even managed crafts (home made musical shakers) in the garden yesterday.

Today was more of the same - so feeling pretty chilled, with happy sleepy girlies, what more could I want?

Springy out and abouts

2011-03-12T10:30:00.006Z

Lots of out and about type stuff over the last week or so. Trying to enjoy every minute of the slightly warmer dryer weather! In fact as I type this I'm beginning to wonder if the girls have turned feral! As they've been out in the garden since the crack of dawn and I get occasional shouts for drinks and snacks, and resolve the odd foray into the barbecue ash pile, but other than that they are content to be out there, very grubby but very happy!

Visits to the park are starting to get interesting, as they both get more adventurous and invariably run in different directions! We've been to some great parks and Meg is starting to get much better at climbing type activities, which shows how much her current gymnastics lessons are paying off.

Swinging with muddy boots, is a great way to rest after a walk!

We've been looking at signs of spring, and exploring nature lots, I managed to get a couple of collins guides to trees, birds and butterflies from Amazon for a penny (plus postage) which have been fascinating Meg lots, I can't wait for spring to be a little more established and slightly warmer so we can do decent length nature walks to answer some of those ever present questions.

We also had a nasty bump this week, just after I took this picture of Isobel chalking on the play ground at toddler group, she fell into the wendy house and cut her head (on a sharp stone that had been walked in), it bled lots and swelled really horribly - it looked alot worse than it was but we still took a trip to A and E to get the all clear. It took me ages to stop shaking and she was quite upset (mostly by the blood I think), even now she doesn't like looking at the mark in the mirror! Still she is healing quickly and is getting lots of tlc.

We've spotted a fair amount of spring signs, crocuses:

Catkins and trees starting to bud and flower:

We've been walking in the woods alot, Isobel just loves to mooch...(usually with a stuffed animal in tow chattering all the time)..

...and for some reason has to stand on every tree stump we pass, I think she likes the idea of being taller!

We also had a real treat on a walk on Thursday, lots and lots of blue tits swooping in and out of the trees, twittering at each other, Isobel was mesmerised, and all together it made me feel really springy!

Birthday girl

2011-03-06T19:36:00.000Z

Today was a very special girl's fifth birthday. She had an amazing day and so did the rest of us. We started early with presents and hot chocolate for a very excited fairy girl. She received some dressing up clothes, books and unicorn toys. I bought her the most amazing flower fairy book with fab pictures, pop ups and moving tabs, she was totally mesmerised.

The dressing up clothes proved popular, and I have to confess if they did those wings in my size I'd be wearing them too!

We spent most of the morning walking in the woods at Sutton Park with Nana and Grumpa and their dog Lady. The weather was pretty good and we spotted lots of signs of spring.

There is also a pretty decent play area - we had a great time climbing and sliding and swinging. We have a special guest for the weekend - Neddy the class hedgehog who comes with his own journal for the children to complete. Hence him featuring in a number of pictures as Meg is very pleased to have him for the weekend.

Meg especially likes this play area as it has a rocking Hippo, her favourite animal!

We rounded out the day with a birthday tea, games and cake with family and lots of time playing with Meg's toys and doing sticker books. She's just dropped off, wondering what it will be like to be 6! I wish my eldest girl a wonderful next year, filled with magic and happiness.

Half term

2011-03-01T05:43:00.007Z

We had the most wonderful half term, just chilling and doing nice things but also resting and just going with the flow (in between bits work for me but hey ho that's life). Meg is full flow in to fairies and magic and although she questions what really "exists" and what doesn't she chooses to let herself remain in wonder at it all, rather deliberately, which I think is pretty cool, as she clearly knows her own mind.

The weather wasn't too bad so we spent a fair amount of time outside, in the woods, in parks and at the farm. We went for a fairy hunt in our local woods, which volunteers have been busy building a new path and benches in.

We climbed some trees.
And discovered muddy hills, much to Isobel's extreme delight!

We also visited the sealife centre, which was very busy, but since we were very early it was pretty good - Isobel was fascinated by bubbles in tanks, Meg tried hard to read the names of the fish, and asked loads of questions.

We visited the farm and ran round the maze.

We had a fairy tea party, which the girls loved.

Yet more visits to parks saw Isobel getting very adventurous and Megan making lots of friends and having fun.

The week was rounded off by sledging at the snowdome with Nana and Grumpa - the girls loved it and Meg has asked a million times when we can go again.

It really was a fab week and I can't believe she has been back to school for a week already!

Living as they do

2011-02-20T19:34:00.003Z

Why walk when you can dance?
Why talk when you can sing?
Why eat cereal when you can feast on fruit?
Why drink coffee when plain water is wonderful?
Why make jobs a chore when dusting is sooo much fun?
Why hold a grudge when you can forgive so easily?
Why frown when you can smile?
Why talk about "important issues" when you can invent silly rhyming words?
Why worry about the future when you can live in the moment?
Why worry about table manners, when it is funny to balance spoons on your nose?
Why need "stuff" when the best thing in the world is a snuggle?
Why stay in when you go out?
Why plan when you can go with the flow?
Why walk round puddles when you can splash in them?
Why paint with brushes when we have hands?
Why dress in jeans when a fairy skirt is so much more swishy?
Why say hello when you can greet someone with a cuddle?
Why wash in the bath when you can pretend to be a mermaid?
Why toss and turn when you can fall into a deep contented sleep?

Every day they teach me lessons, today I decided to write them down.

Random Assortment

2011-02-19T17:27:00.000Z

It's been a funny old few weeks, but I'm not really sure why. Mostly it's been funny good, with lots of random niceness like unexpected sunshine and general family harmony. Although Rob has been away for work which is not so great, and I've had a few moments where I'm struggling with the whole balance thing again. But broadly we're good, probably as we've managed to get outside a fair amount and the initial signs of spring are cheering me up no end.

We've been to parks and out in the garden, and with Meg I'm starting to think about planting for the coming year. We were given a mini green house for christmas and Meg is very keen to grow cucumber as it's one of her absolute favourites, although of course it's the one thing Isobel isn't sure of!

The last few weeks have also been about performance, Meg is loving writing and performing her own puppet shows at the moment - we made this makeshift theatre out of banana boxes and scarves. She made fairy and giant puppets and the puppet in the shot below which apparently is a cat cross butterfly cross person.

Once the boxes had finished being a puppet theatre, they became a robot costume...

.... and a space rocket (not a train which was my elementary error much to the scorn of a certain 4 year old!).

And then the following day, yet more puppet shows - this time the wizard of Oz.

And on the weekend of 6th we went to Birmingham for the Chinese new year celebrations, which were fab. The dragon dancing was excellent and Meg got to stroke one (and was subsequently on the local news, much to her extreme excitement). We also made lanterns and folded paper dragons for the seasonal table.

Isobel is officially old enough to stand on a chair competently - until recently she has been prone to taking dives on to the tiled kitchen floor, but last weekend they stood and made biscuit dough together pretty much unsupervised - which was amazing to watch.

And finally, just because I like it, a picture of Meg at the park last weekend - looking rather grown up I might add, which since she is nearly 5 (2 weeks today!) isn't surprising I guess.

I did say it was a rather random assortment! But I think it matches the funny couple of weeks we have had quite well. And since it's now half term (yay and more yay!) we've got plenty of time for more of the same. And I think a little spring cleaning both of the house and of my head, as I try to take things back further into the slightly more rhythmic and simple routine that I and they seem to be craving at the moment.

Isobel's birthday weekend

2011-02-13T18:00:00.000Z

A slightly belated post on Isobel's birthday weekend. I uploaded the pictures last weekend - but it's taken me another week to get round to writing - through a combination of screen overload/Isobel hating me being on the pc/and doing stuff with the girls rather than being on the pc.

So Isobel's birthday weekend was really nice. Saturday we spent at sandwell valley park, walking, playing and visiting the animals at the farm.

It was cold but dry, so we wrapped up and spent most of the day outside, apart from a pitstop at the cafe at the farm for lunch time egg, beans and toast. Rob made me laugh as he sat with the girls lovingly colouring in a picture of a cockerel, which he insisted we bring home and put on the wall, alongside their pictures!

We all enjoyed skittles and giant chess.

And I bought giant bubbled, which were loads of fun.

Then after a good walk and run round the play area we headed for home, Isobel enjoying a ride in my new mei-tai.

Her actual birthday involved a special family breakfast and then the extended family joining us for a lunch time tea party. Rob made her a lion cake. which she loved.

And she consumed her body weight in her current favourite food - melon. I did a massive fruit platter to go with cake for desert and my two practically finished it off single handed!

There was singing and balloons and all sorts of birthday fun - I love this picture of Isobel gazing up at a balloon - so her.

And of course stories with Grumpa, who is still Isobel's favourite person.

Two has come round awfully quickly and has seen huge changes in my baby. Walking, talking, climbing, a great sense of humor, a clear sense of what she likes and what she doesn't, and lots of other things, the next year is going to be so much fun watching her consolidate and take the next steps.

Two!

2011-01-30T07:02:00.010Z

Well, this time last year my precious babe was one, it seems like five minutes ago - yet a whole year has passed and today my not so little one turned two. I'll post about her special day separately but as I flicked through photos of the last year I couldn't resist sharing a few, alongside my musings on the last year.

So here she is aged 1, a robust baby with a fairly placid nature and a seriously cheeky streak.
It seems a year has passed so fast, especially as this wonderful lady in the next picture isn't with us anymore. This is the last photo I have of her with Isa, smiling and happy at her birthday tea. I'm sad because I miss Grandma and because Isobel will never really know how special she was, but I'm happy because we had a wonderful family lunch today and I know that is exactly what my Grandmother would have wanted. She always said her family were the most important thing to her, so to know that they are growing up so well and happy would please her immensely.

Isobel has changed alot this year too. We saw those first precious steps, tottering steps which quickly progressed to running, jumping, and climbing and a little girls who never sits still and loves to take risks!

She's learning to communicate, although often prefers raspberries ;-D She talks when she feels like it, with a range of words which include poo, smelly and yuck (she does have nicer words too).

She is learning about love, and gives hugs and kisses, and yesterday said "love you" to me for the first time, followed by a huge hug. She is tender and loving with her doggy and dollies, and she loves to cuddle her big sister.

She loves dressing up and is another little performer, loving to dance and twirl and sing.

She loves colouring and sticking and painting and crafts.

All of a sudden the baby of a year ago is a little girl, with her own ideas and dreams. The placid baby is replaced with a (mostly!) laid back child, with a distinct determined streak which can lead to tantrums and tears, especially in the face of the word "no"! She is developing a sense of humor and smiles alot. She is beautiful in so many ways, I am privileged to be part of her journey.

Playing, paddling, pastry and pie

2011-01-23T18:15:00.005Z

The title says it all! And I couldn't resist the alliteration!

This Sunday we were all full up of cold and decided that a nice comfy day was needed. So comfy was what we had. The girls played cafe's (or at least Meg did, Isobel kind of joins in and kind of bimbles along doing her own thing but it's great to watch).

The chilled out morning and snuggly stories were followed by a nap for the little girl (and a big husband - who of course has the cold way worse that anyone else!) and lots of drawing time for the big one. She's always has a pen in her hand at the moment, it's great to watch her create. Then after sleepy time, we togged up as an excuse to test Isobel's new rainsuit (the old one is way too small but I've been holding out as it was only 50p and I was desperate to get as much use out of it as possible!) A walk to the local park followed by splashing in muddy puddles and digging with their hands for stones for Meg's stone collection.

Once we'd got rid of the mud and changed clothes (cos waterproofs are never completely waterproof when there are puddles involved!) we made pastry for the mushroom pie for dinner. Which was an excuse to test my christmas pie dish! I asked for two things for christmas - a handbag (mine was 10 years old and falling apart) and a pie dish - £2.99 from Morrisons. Rob was rather amused that more than anything I wanted a proper pie dish (my other oven proof bowls are too deep or shallow and I've been coveting a pie dish for months!)

It was worth every penny - look at the result. And they ate the lot, with leftovers in the freezer.

Then we had long soaky baths and re-enacted the Beavers dance from the previous day's performance of the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (it was fab and the Beavers were brilliant), before more Harry Potter and bed. We're now on the one week count down to Isobel's birthday, so watch this space for sneaky preparation posts :-D

Hooky :-D

2011-01-21T05:36:00.002Z

On Wednesday I played hooky from work and spent the day with the girls, ok well it wasn't strictly hooky, I moved my days round to faciliate a meeting today, but as it was unusual to be home on a Wednesday it felt like playing hooky, and that set the tone for the whole day. It was one of those lovely not doing much just being together kind of days that I don't seem to get that often. So once we'd dropped Meg at school, Isobel and I got down to the serious business of playing. She is loving the brio right now, especially pushing the trains down the bridge and seeing how far they roll.

The great thing about an unexpected day at home was that normally we have plans to see friends or do house type jobs, but as there was none of that as days were only move round on Monday night, we just did what we wanted - which made me realise we must do more of that!

We snuggled and read stories, whatever next is a huge favourite now - so afterwards we played rockets with the washing trug. It was so lovely to watch her sort out her blanket and dog and then sit there chatting to herself in her funny little babble.

Meg came home, and after some play dough I got on the tea, and they joined me on the kitchen floor playing with pots and pans and play food whilst I peeled the carrots and potatoes for shepherds pie.

We ate and read some more before Isobel decided that the train track basket would make a good bed for dog, who was promptly tucked in and kissed goodnight.

A bath, followed by Each Peach Pear Plum for Isobel and a chapter of Harry Potter for Meg, a bedtime song and then sleep. Just a normal, nothing special kind of day, but it made me smile.

Me and my dog

2011-01-09T18:03:00.003Z

Well ok, not me and my dog, but Isobel and her dog. I bought doggie for Isobel when she was 5 months old. We're big on soft toys here, I sucked my thumb with a raggy old koala for a long time (till I was 15!), Meg has hippo (or nim no as she calls him), and so doggie came for Isobel. The attachment was quick and fierce, and she never goes anywhere without him being close by, if he is lost she does the gone sign and wanders round calling "oggy" till he is scooped up in a huge cuddle like he has been missing for months, till the next thing distracts her attention and she abandons him, on the floor, in the washing basket, once in the pond, and once down the toilet!

When he was new he was fluffy, now he is a bit worn and raggedy (loved), he has been washed too many times and still smells faintly of sour milk (no matter how many times he is washed), he gets covered in paint, glue and bean juice, if a fit of anger he is thrown across the room.

He is sniffed and sucked and licked, and cradled and shushed and sang too.

He is taken out and is checked by a worried mama to make sure he doesn't get left behind or dropped.

Everywhere she is he is too, inside, outside, in bed, eating dinner, mopping tears, catching sick, fast asleep, on a trampoline, quietly snuggling to read a story.

Sometimes he is carried by a foot or an ear, just there. Other times he is prized and carried like a precious new born.

This girl and her dog, one day he'll be left on a shelf or a bed, special but not cuddled with the fierceness of a toddler. Today he is constant and very much the world of one little girl, who in what seems like a flash is nearing 2 and I'm sure doggie will be the honorary guest of honour at the birthday tea.

Christmas

2011-01-01T12:38:00.007Z

We have had a wonderful, quiet family Christmas. A few activities had to go by the by due to the snow, including a much anticipated trip to see the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at a local theatre. Meg was devastated but soon realised we'd made the right choice when she saw news footage of people stuck in cars, she really is growing up and enjoys being able to reason things through.

We stayed at home and had people to us, which I loved as it's so nice to see everyone whilst the girls are still in their own home, with their own space and things.

So Christmas Eve was full of excitement as Grandad and Wendy and Uncle Hayden arrived with their dog Cheeky. Grandad had the honour of reading a night before Christmas and Wendy treated them to new fluffy slippers. I on the other hand couldn't resist matching Christmas PJ's probably the only shop new (as opposed to charity shop) item of clothing they have had this year (with the exception of school uniform for Meg). The tutus are already a firm dressing up box favourite :-D

The Christmas table, which we managed to fit 8 round! I think Rob got a little excited with the snow flakes, they were everywhere! Still a great decoration, and they have all been sandwiched between two bits of card to reuse next year.

Stockings in mummy and daddies room, the girls were delighted with the contents, play food and wooden picture domino's for Isobel, and a fairy skipping rope, fairy dolly and soft unicorn for Megan. There is a definite myth and magic theme going on for Meg at the moment, she loves Harry Potter (we're halfway through the first book) and the worst witch, and mermaids and unicorns and fairies.

A traditional Christmas dinner, cooked as usual by my lovely Rob, Christmas pudding provided by Wendy, who so sweetly confessed to Megan (who didn't like it), that despite having made it she doesn't like it either. But they both tried some and the birds were very grateful for the leftovers. Isobel had a dolly from my mum and dad, she is becoming a proper little mommy and wanted to feed her dolly Christmas pudding (which Isobel did like) too.

More people arrived for tea, and the three cousins spent a fair bit of time grazing, I think they ate a whole plateful of raw veg between the three of them!

Everyone enjoyed playing with Grumpa, so a good time was had by all.

A very kind friend bought them matching wooden stools, which they love, the perfect size and as you can see they like sitting on them and posing for pictures! Which at the moment involves joint tongue sticking out, just because they can.

And so to boxing day, another lovely family day filled mostly with Lego (Meg have much coveted Harry Potter Lego for Christmas).

And board games, Meg is learning the finer points of scrabble, which appear to involve as many invented words as possible!

And walks in the snow with the dog's, where unfortunately I was having too much fun to take pictures.

So that was Christmas, we are already into the new year so the next post will be all about resolutions and the last days of our holiday.

December

2010-12-31T18:34:00.005Z

Ok one of my new years resolutions is to blog regularly (unlike recently!), I enjoy blogging and it's a great way to keep a record off what we get up to, it's also a great way to remind me what it's all about (life that is! More on that in the resolutions entry).

So to get us up to date a post on what we got up to in December.

A fab snowy trip on the Santa steam train with the girls and nephew - Isobel was obsessed with sticking her head out of the window and watching the engine.

Christmas crafts, Isobel is suddenly more involved and loves getting sticky!

The obligatory Christmas trip to the Birmingham German market - it was freezing so we all warmed up with much needed hot chocolate in the art gallery.

Making snow men, snow dogs and snow balls.

They are starting to show more of an interest in playing together, although at the moment it often ends in disaster when Isobel doesn't follow Meg's very prescriptive game play or when Meg is too bossy for Isobel's liking!
We managed to wait till the second weekend in December to decorate the tree and as is family tradition they both helped with the star.

Meg loved her very first school nativity, she was a sheep and sang a song about waking the shepherds up, she loved it and taught Isobel all the actions too.

Isobel has developed a hat and wellington fetish and often wears both (preferably Meg's rather than her own) in the house as well as outside.

We had lots of family visits, and Meg loved playing with uncle Hayden (who is 16), he puts on this whole cool exterior but plays with her really nicely. I love this action shot of a pre bed pillow fight.
And of course more snow, which Meg loves and Isobel hates or is fascinated with depending on her mood!

So all in all a good and happy, if mega busy and quick December. I've just uploaded photos for a Christmas post so that's next, then a new years post and I'm all up to date!

I haven't fallen of the face of the planet!

2010-10-24T19:29:00.000+01:00

I'm still here, and will eventually catch up with the bloggy world! Those using GP will have seen my post about my dad - he's been pretty sick due to an accident (he fell off a ladder) which added to school, work, decorating and trying to live has meant things have been a little manic round here. And tbh I've just had to keep my head down and keep going any "extra" stuff has had to go, hence no bloggy updates. But there has been lots of good stuff too, so I'll start by catching up with our lives over the last month.

Meg loves school - her teacher is great, she has lovely friends, she loves learning and is growing up before my eyes! Her drawing and writing are already coming on, but so are her self help skills, like buttons and zips and shoes and socks. They have a great outdoor space and they get out alot, Meg loves helping in the wild area and the garden and the adventure play areas rocks.

And Isobel, sweet Isobel who is by degrees the cutest child on the planet and the most exasperating (so a totally normal rising 2 then!).

Isobel has discovered love, she blows kisses, gives hugs and says mwah to everybody. Her kisses are given to everyone, willing or not!

We've been making the most of the Autumnal weather and been swinging and walking and playing alot.

Meg gets braver every day and has recently conquered the firemans pole, despite it being something she has been "scared" of for a long while.

Isobel and this dolly are currently inseparable. The dolly is Alice, she was my sisters doll and is currently held together by strong electrical tape, but is doing pretty well for a 30 year old!

We've been charity shopping, I seriously could not resist this top for Meg, it looks brand new and as you can see from the face, she obviously agrees with the sentiment. We have of course coupled it with appropriate musical education!

These two love and fight and love and fight and love and fight. I try to let them settle their arguments themselves but occasionally have to intervene when it looks like a dolly will be ripped in two!

Meg is beginning to be more interested in music and is having the odd lesson with daddy. We are led by her and have "lessons" when she asks, she clearly has an ear and a fab memory so we'll see.

And today we walked and jumped and thew and swam in the huge piles of leaves on our street, they came in rosy cheeked and happy for a lovely meal of jacket potatoes, followed by stories and bed.

It really has been a lovely day and next week I've got them all to myself for a whole week - I'm so excited. Off to the safari park tomorrow to use our free return ticket.

An awfully big adventure

2010-09-16T20:07:00.000+01:00

Well we've now done day four of school, and Meg loves it. She has been tired when she gets home, but school wise she is having so much fun making new friends and sticking, and playing and painting and exploring. She comes home full of beans with lots to tell us. This term the theme is nursery rhymes so they have been doing incey wincey this week - which as Meg loves spiders is going down very well. She likes the uniform and her teacher and is making new friends every day.

I on the other hand feel ever so slightly bereft as she takes this hugely independent step into the world. I sit at work wondering what she is doing and if she is ok - and then I pick her up and realise my worries are for naught as she is bouncy and happy and truly my Meg. She is already learning new things and seems to grow before my eyes, as she bounces into school with a quick wave and a "see you later mom". I hope her wonder and enjoyment continue. I loved school and have so many happy memories of plays and projects and games with friends in the play ground - I hope she has the same experience. Isobel is also slightly bereft, she misses Meg and gets very excited when it's time to collect her big sister. Although it doesn't stop her from using this week's new phrase "Meg! Shsssss!" in her ever so demanding toddler voice.

Although it's all going wonderfully and I am so happy that she is loving this adventure, I can't wait for Saturday to have her all to myself, and back in mismatched rainbow colours.

Autumn days

2010-09-12T13:49:00.005+01:00

Ok so I know I said the next post would be Meg's first day at school, but I'd forgotten that we were moving towards Autumn, which of course means conker gathering. I love Autumn, especially days like today - sunny and still fairly warm but with that slight chill in the air that warrants a cardie and a cup of hot chocolate when we get back in from walks. Not that I need an excuse for hot chocolate but it always tastes nicer on colder days.

So bright and early we set of to our favourite conker trees to gather conkers for the seasonal table. On the way we found this huge spider. His body was as big as 2 cooked butter beans one on top of the other. Meg was mesmerised - apparently his name is Harvey!

As always Daddy indulged in a spot of tree climbing!

Meg enjoyed breaking out her cardigan too.

And this little girl loved filling her basket with all sorts of little bits and bobs. Purposefully striding round, chattering to herself.

I have a picture of Meg standing on this tree stump wearing this jumper too (only she was coming up 3 - not 2 so I must have shrunk the jumper in the wash since then!) Still it makes me smile to see them going through the same little rights of passage.

Meg indulged in a spot of tree hugging.

Isobel is determined to slide down any grass bank she finds - even if the incline is so slight no one else has noticed it!
Meg walks home with a basket of conkers.

The walk was followed by a roast dinner and sponge and custard and family story snuggles on the sofa. A wonderful way to end the summer and welcome the Autumn and Meg's next step. She is a bit nervous and a bit excited and can't wait to put her uniform on (although apparently she would prefer pink and purple to grey and blue!). I'm off to do bath time and read some more chapters of Charlotte's Web to Meg. We'll see how tomorrow goes.

Decorating and the rest!

2010-09-06T15:36:00.000+01:00

After months of me procrastinating - we are finally decorating the living room. I hate decorating with a vengeance! So I always put it off wherever possible, but the peeling wall paper finally got the better of me. We're doing it in stages, so the paper is off, the plastering is done, as are the electrics, but the wood work is still to be done, as it the actual papering and painting!

It has however been a family project and everyone has got into the act.

Besides the decorating we've also being doing lots. Mainly to get the monsters out of the house to enable plastering to be done without tiny handprints in it! But also generally enjoying the holidays.

Meg has been doing lots of crafting - she is very creative at the moment and often instigates projects - this is a mermaid feather boat!

We've spent lots of time at museums and galleries - cos they are free and good when the weather is rubbish but they still want to go "out".

We've been to the park - lots. Chasing round the bandstand is a favourite activity now Isobel can run. She also has her first 2 word phrase - "got ya" courtesy of games of chase.

As always there has been music - and another must early word in our house - "plectrum", which she is using to good effect clutched in chubby little hand.

Isobel is fascinated by the camera - and loves to take close ups of her face - then look at them.

Meg has had her face done at least 3 times since my last bloggy post (all free at various events) - this one is the best I've ever seen - very artistic.

More art gallery time - this pose makes me laugh - so very Meg.

Isobel has her first pair of wellies. Which she LOVES and wants to wear all the time - we have even had the traditional naked welly wearing!

And then a visit to sandwell show for the bank holiday weekend - to see the giant vegetables - and a very naughty purchase of a lovely cloth dolly from a very clever crafty lady. But Betsy is now a firm favourite in Meg's doll family. So not that naughty!

My next post will be about a big girl starting school!

Outside

2010-08-14T15:38:00.000+01:00

I'm not a very insidy person (except in winter when I like to hibernate with big jumpers, hot chocolate and good books). I was always one of those kids that had to be dragged in from playing (I was pretty much feral between the age of 7 - 11, especially during school holidays). I haven't really changed much as an adult (which is allegedly what I am!). So we get out at every opportunity and thankfully dry days of late have meant lots of opportunities to do so. Not that wet isn't just as fun but I am enjoying travelling light.

We have had more visits to the park. Every time we go Isobel gets that little bit braver and goes that little bit further, it's like watching her grow before my eyes.

Rather unexpectedly there was water at the arboretum (it was an overcast day). I didn't take spare clothes but we improvised and they had a great time splashing and playing. And because we were out early we had lots of space and avoided the holiday crowds.

Isobel thought the fish pattern was the best thing ever, and ran from fish to fish laughing.

And of course sisters playing together. Meg is wonderful patient and helpful, but also not too in Isobel's face. They fight over actual "stuff" because of course they often want the same thing at the same time! But other than that these two have a happy little accord. Meg is always the one who can make this little one laugh and smile. Chase and tickling games are very big on the agenda at the moment.

An improvised top for Meg (an adult vest!) after splashing round. Followed by a nice walk to dry them out and enjoy the trees.

We like to draw in the garden, much more fun than doing it at the table, as you can see from Izzy's cheeky grin!

We've also recently discovered a good climbing tree and swing.

Meg has named the tree Mr Oakly, and she has made up stories about all the adventures she will have with her new tree friend. I suspect this is partly to do with how much she is enjoying the Faraway Tree. This all brings back so many happy memories for me, as I had a pet tree too - called Rover (bark - get it?). I spent so many happy hours climbing and making dens under that tree.

She rather enjoys swinging and singing and telling those little stories to herself - now all we need is to move to a more open space so she can do it every day!

Holiday time

2010-08-04T18:57:00.013+01:00

Rob and I both had the last week off work to enjoy the simple pleasures of family living. It has been fantastic. We've loved the time with the girls getting out and about lots and not worrying about deadlines or calendars or planning - lots of just going with the flow. Which is exactly what we all needed.

We do get lots of quality family time, but we often have places to go and people to see and schedules creeping in so this week has felt different, much slower and much needed. I feel totally relaxed and happy.

So what did we get up to in our wonderful week? Well we walked and spent lots of time outdoors.

We spent lots of time with Georgie - walking and playing ball and of course posing for the camera!

We visited the sealife centre in Birmingham (again!) but it is one of Meg's favourite places. Isobel says "fish" very clearly. They both had a fab time and it's great to see the different levels they enjoy these places, Isobel just takes everything in and loves the shape and colour and movement. Megan is all about questions - mostly how long do they live and what do they eat?

Megan loves the turtles and it totally entranced by the big sea turtles in the under sea tank.

We visited a castle and talked lots about "the olden days". Meg in all innocence asked Dad if he climbed chimneys when he was a little boy in the olden days (snigger).

It was a good interactive child friendly castle with lots of dressing up and stuff to touch, so of course Rob and my dad had to get into the act!

Megan had already visited the face painter so this wig topped off her look!

We spent yet more time outside hugging trees - literally in the case of my baby girl.

They had donkey rides on donkeys from the stable I worked at when I was a teenager (it's a good stable and the animals are well looked after and they have strict rules about size and riding). Isobel took to it like a duck to water - she was desperate to ride as soon as she saw them making her clicking noise for anything that looks like a horse. Her balance was amazing.

We have been to a multitude of parks and swung and slided and climbed to our hearts content.

I have had lots of slingy time with my independent miss who has recently not been so independent needing me lots. So the ring sling I barely used has suddenly become a great favourite on the grounds of ease for popping in and out - because of course she can never make her mind up! And because it's a good carrying position.

And we have been to a theme park (Drayton Manor to see Thomas). Where I got a huge surprise from my very risk averse daughter who I expected to not want to try rides other than the Thomas train. But no she wanted to go on everything and loved it all! In fact she was a proper little thrill seeker! I love learning new things about my girls.

It's back to work tomorrow - but I feel I've caught up a bit and the balance has been redressed. And we still have lots of walks, picnics and parks to visit before the holiday's are over, so all in all I have a houseful of very happy campers :-D

Meg's sleeping habits...

2010-08-03T07:24:00.002+01:00

... are just bizarre! She goes to bed at 7:30ish and is absolutely exhausted and falls asleep within minutes of being in bed. There probably 4/5 nights out of 7 she is up somewhere between 2 and 4 to play. Sometimes for just 10 minutes sometimes for hours. She doesn't always come in to us, and sometimes chooses to play/read quietly till she drops off again (so I don't always get woken up but can tell by the toys in bed that she has been up) . Other times full on imaginative play involving dressing up and furniture moving are undertaken! If she wakes at 4ish she often doesn't drop off again so that's it for the day, unless I can tempt her in for snuggles which then results in us all falling back to sleep and getting up late. Today was one of the days where she seriously wanted to play (polar bears and icebergs - my fault for showing her a nature film as she was asking questions about polar bears I guess) so her and I have been up a fair old while and it's only 7:30!!!

I'm not really moaning as I'm naturally an early bird too which is I assume where she gets it from and some of her games are lovely (and I suspect in part the early mornings stem from a tiny desire to play uninterrupted by a little one - who by the way is a right slugger-head and usually is completely undisturbed by big sis and asleep till 8am!).

She is still playing the game now and I can hear her chatting away to herself (and her bears)about catching seals and cracks in the ice to be avoided - although the bears appear to be having a tea party on the iceberg with sandwiches and cake as well as seals!

Just sharing in a slightly early morningy burble lack of sleep kind of way - we're off to Thomas land with her cousin today so maybe tonight I'll get some sleep ;-D

A week of "lasts"

2010-07-30T21:14:00.000+01:00

Last week was for Megan a week of pretty significant "lasts". Her last day at her wonderful pre-school, her last day at toddler group and her last "pre-school" swimming class. It was a lovely week, full of emotion but mostly happiness and excitement for the holidays and the next "phase".

On Thursday Megan graduated nursery. This is one of those things I'm not sure about - is it a silly nonsense ritual or does it give them a nice opportunity to say goodbye? I think the answer is different for different children as some were clearly out of their comfort zone on the little stage in front of parents. But for my big girl it was an opportunity to do what she loves - perform! So she sang and danced her little heart out in the concert and then smiled and flounced whilst receiving her certificate.
Then afterwards the children played outside and made the most of the wonderful nursery garden whilst the mommies reminisced. We've arranged to stay in touch with best friends and a couple will move schools with Megan so it wasn't a huge goodbye. Still we've had some good times at the nursery and the staff there truly were wonderful and have really helped Meg learn to deal with some of her sensitivities (in a really good understanding way).

Friday was Meg's last time at toddler group, and since we've been most Friday's since she was 10 weeks old that really will be weird, but she is one of the oldest now and has missed the children that left last year, so for her the time is right to move on. And I will still take Isobel and we will still visit the library to borrow books.

Out librarians are fab and Meg gave out lots of hugs before we left.

Then Saturday was her last "pre-school" swimming class. Next term she moves up a group as she can now swim fairly competently (if vertically!).

She is ready to move on, sometimes her maturity shocks me, she is very empathic and we often have these funny little conversations that I revisit afterwards and realise that I take her awareness for granted but actually she is a very astute. She is looking forward to school and despite my reservations, I know for her it is the right choice to make. She is confident, bright and outgoing. But she also has a tendency not to want to try new things but then when she does finds wonderful joy in new activities and skills - school will help with this I think. Still it's another 7 weeks off (she is a middle birthday so starts later) and I am going to enjoy every second of our holidays. I'm off work next week so lots of family outdoorsy time is in order.

Our week in pictures

2010-07-17T16:09:00.003+01:00

sharing touch screen puzzles at the art gallery:

Impromptu sculpture climbing:

Nursery sports day:

Reading (and peeping):

Baking cheese and marmite scones (so much more fun with 2 to stir):

Building and sorting:

Impromptu basket climbing:

Stacking:

Bubble painting:

And of course cuddling a cyber man:

Meg is not yet allowed to watch Dr Who, but loves robots, so since the library had a cyber man to launch their holiday reading scheme we went along to say hi (she was very impressed, and the guy in the suit was really nice, putting on a bit of an act for the older ones but being quite approachable for the littler ones).

Ooh and no pictures but we also went to see a youth performance of the Just So Stories yesterday, it was wonderful, the children in the show were excellent and Megan really enjoyed it and followed the stories really well. So a great week all round.

4th July

2010-07-04T19:34:00.005+01:00

My mother in law is American and throws an annual 4th July party in their back garden, we didn't go last year as we couldn't get a dog sitter. This year however our lovely neighbour looked after dear old Georgie so off we went to sunny Warrington for the weekend. The train journey was good, the girls were amused by stories and play dough puppets (courtesy of daddy), then a short cab ride took us to Grandad and Wendy's house where party preparations were in full swing.

Meg and Daddy of course needed to help with the equipment sound check - Meg now wants a drum kit so her and daddy can be a proper "rock band".

Isobel on the other hand thought the sound check was best left to the professionals (sensible child!) and snuggled with Daddy for a listen.

The party got into full swing with a performance from Rob's Dad's band, which impressed two little dancing girls very much.

Posing for the camera with Wendy lady and daddy.

There was also a set from The Roughneck Riot (a really fab folk punk band - who were very very good). I was helping in the kitchen and came outside and was highly amused to see that Meg had shunned the company of the other children, preferring to chill with the band (she took her chair and joined their table to read where's wally). She struck up a lovely friendship with Jade (the accordion player) and proceeded to be her groupie for the evening (and bless her, Jade didn't mind a bit). The girls loved the music and so much more dancing was done.

Isobel isn't in these pictures as she was busy scoffing her face with Jelly and ice-cream! The bands final song (and only cover) was Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash (which Meg knows alot of the words to - so she joined in and was really part of the band, which made her a very happy little girl). It really was a great weekend, although we all stayed up far too late listening to music and chatting, but a truly good time was had by all. Both girls fell asleep on the way home and carried on sleeping for a good part of the afternoon.

walks

2010-06-27T15:15:00.000+01:00

How I love the summer, waking up and throwing drinks, snacks and sun cream into a rucksack then just wandering off for the day, with my two most favourite people in tow. Friday was a teacher training day, which meant no pre-school for Meg so we decided to make the most of it by busing it to a local nature reserve and having a relaxed , no clock watching mooch.

I took a sling in my rucksack too - but didn't use it! This little one loves to walk and has a funny little purposeful stride, which involves swinging her arms and humming/mattering to herself!

We found lots of interesting things too look at, Meg was excited to learn about why fox gloves have spots and we did lots of tree/flower and bird spotting. Meg was fascinated by all the little holes that may or may not be animal holes, and spent ages looking for evidence of habitation.

Isobel loved everything, she sifted the dirt, ate a few leaves, and spent quite a while trying to balance on logs.

It was a good choice of venue as the woods protected us from the heat of the sun, and we were the only people there!

At the end of the woody bit you climb steps into a meadow which made a perfect picnic spot, and an opportunity for the girls to roll around in the grass and play jungles. Isobel loved running through the long grass.

Then yesterday mum and dad came round for a visit bringing their lovely greyhound, which of course turned into an impromptu doggie walking session.

Georgie came too (of course) and we all went for a stroll (run) round a local field. George loves to be out and about and happily chased round with Meg before collapsing in a heap of hot tired doggie, he has given up trying to keep up with Lady, who can knock the socks off him any day of the week.

And Isobel took advantage of the space (and opportunity to run round with no shoes on, since that is exactly what mommy was doing)!

Long may the summer continue - can't wait for the holidays and no preschool so we can have days filled with walks, outdoors and picnics :-D

Fathers Day

2010-06-20T21:16:00.002+01:00

Today is Fathers day. Which for me started at 6.22am courtesy of the littlest one, unusual as it's usually the big one that is up and at em whilst little girlie snores peacefully. And for daddy started at 9am as he was allowed a fathers day lie in. However due to church and Meg being desperate to give him her card, daddy was roused from his slumbers. We did cards, Meg is very proud of her picture of daddy, and breakfast and headed off to church.

It has been a lovely sunny day, so after the service and Sunday school the children all played chase outside, Isobel laughed her little socks off being chased by Meg.

After lunch, naps and daddy and daughter viewing of duck tails we headed off to my sisters house with Nana and Grumpa, to go for a walk and a meal.

Part way round the lake we found a play area and made friends with a gorgeous boxer dog (complete with tail), I was rather smitten as were the girls.

Then as tummies were starting to rumble we headed back to Nikki's to go over to a local Chinese place for a Fathers day dinner.

The food was great - the staff were really friendly and helpful with the children, even providing extra fruit when my little one tried to pick the cherries out of the fruit salad (they actually bought her a bowl of fresh cherries from the kitchen)! The spinning table proved a huge hit with Meg and Liam! Meg did very well as she isn't keen on mixed up food, she loved the seaweed and veggie spring rolls and ate some chow mein. Isobel ate her own body weight in food, she tried everything, seemed to really enjoy water chestnuts, noodles and chicken satay. And of course Isobel played with Grumpa's glasses as the older children visited the fish in the lobby.

We headed home, played shuttle cock, then packed the littlies off to bed (or at least took them up, read stories and sang and have at least one still up "reading" to her dollies). It has been a lovely day, spent with both my girls wonderful daddy and my lovely dad too. Tomorrow isn't going to be such a good day as it would have been my Grandma's 89th birthday, still the GP season swap should brighten up our day.

Farms and family

2010-06-13T19:38:00.006+01:00

Meg went on a visit to a farm with nursery on Friday, and I have to admit I was very apprehensive, mainly as we've had words with nursery regarding the application of sunscreen (they apparently can't do it due to health and safety - but letting her (very fair) skin burn is more safe - go figure!), but luckily our lovely nanny is CRB checked and was more than happy to go along too (I'm not CRB checked so apparently can't go on a trip with my daughter!). The nursery is fantastic, huge focus on play and nature and growing things and being outside no matter what the weather. But an unfortunate amount of credence appears to be given to bureaucracy, which drives me slightly potty, but Meg really wanted to go on this trip. So off she went. And what a lovely time she had, she was full of stories about cow, strawberry picking and pond dipping when she got back.

They have cows, and Meg made a whole story up about who was marrying who. And lots and lots of strawberries.

Which meant Isobel and I spent most of a day just the two of us. We went to toddler group at the library and then spent the afternoon mooching round the garden. It was lovely to be able to focus on my little one completely. She is funny and makes me laugh alot, with her various quirks, like the fact she kept taking me back to the pictures of her sister and insisting "Meg" very loudly, I think she missed her! But at the same time I think she also enjoyed getting her own way.

Saturday afternoon was spent at my great aunt's 90th birthday party. I took this of Meg just before we left - she looks more grown up every second!

There was a large dance floor, so of course the children were in their element. This is Isobel playing with her cousins.

And here are the 4 great grand children together. My Grandma would have loved to see them all together, playing happily, as the eldest lives in Cardiff so they don't all get together that often.

Meg wanted the grown ups to play butterflies, so here at 4pm (with no alcohol involved at all) are Daddy (aged 31), my cousins, aged 21 and 18 and Meg (4) playing butterflies!

A nice afternoon was had by all, and I had two very tired little girls after all the running, chasing and sliding they did.

Pasta and a plastic bottle

2010-06-09T06:51:00.004+01:00

How much fun can a 1 year old have with a plastic box full of dried pasta? Lots it would appear.

You can pretend to eat it making nom nom nom noises:
And then run away laughing:

You can tip it out and put it in, and tip it out and put it in, and tip it out and put it in, and tip it out and put it in:

You can put it into an empty washing up bottle:

And dance to your music:

You can stop to grin at mommy (and wonder why she keeps pointing that camera at you!)

And just in case you weren't happy with the shaker, the bottle doubles up as a trumpet :-D

She kept me (and herself) entertained for a couple of hours just pootling about with her pasta, and her empty washing up liquid bottle - who says babies needs toys.

Art work

2010-06-06T15:43:00.004+01:00

Megan is becoming increasingly proud of the work she produces. She now draws and paints with a fairly clear idea of what she wants to produce, and can often now translate those ideas into pictures, and some times words. She still sometimes covers paper (and herself) with paint, just because it's fun, but she is also slowly gaining the ability to put what is in her head on paper. This is a mile away from the little girl who a year ago screwed up her pictures regularly because they weren't "right" (unfortunately she has her mothers perfectionist streak!). I have to say I'm loving this phase, she is so creative and is really enjoying her art and her joy at being able to, in her words "do it", is complete and un-abandoned and very wonderful to watch.

Two birds (Jeffry and his Mother) on a branch outside their bird house:

Meg and a play dough tree:

A picture of Megan with flowers in her hair:

Rainbow cat, who is eating a mouse (hence the "om" next to his head as that is the sound of him eating!)

What a difference a day makes!

2010-06-06T15:43:00.000+01:00

After the sunny beach day on bank holiday Monday, we decided to pop down to see relatives in Gloucester and visit Prinknash Abbey on Tuesday. The weather couldn't have been more different! Luckily there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. So with water-proofs and wellies a good day was still had by all.

Megan ran straight off with her bag of bird seed to feed the birds, the ducks seem to like the rain very much.
And of course Megan loved showing her little sister the ropes. Isobel loved the ducks.

Meg loved these ducks too, they were very friendly and were happy to have a stroke and eat out of her hand. Apparently they want to come and live at our house! Mummy wasn't so convinced!

Rain didn't bother the little one, she ran round shouting and splashing happily.

They also fed the deer, who were hiding from the rain.

The visit to Prinknash was followed by a lovely lunch and visit with my Aunt, and her two little dogs who are just the right size for Isobel, who immediately fell in love and followed them for the afternoon.

Day at the beach (but not the seaside!)

2010-05-31T17:37:00.007+01:00

Megan has been desperate to go to the beach since the weather started looking up, but being in the Midlands doesn't always make that easy (especially as Isobel hates being stuck in car seats!). But today we discovered heart park which is only about 20 minutes drive from us and was a really lovely alternative to the beach. It has sand and a lake for paddling and boating, deck chairs, swings and slides and bouncy castles and a little shop selling buckets and spades and ice cream. What more could you want? Sunshine maybe, but it stayed dry and did perk up in the afternoon, so I'm not complaining.
As soon as we hit the beach Meg made a castle and filled it with water - note to self - next time take more changes of clothes and a swim suit or 7 (I didn't think she'd want to paddle too much as it was a little cool - obviously I had forgotten that cold doesn't matter to little girls where there is water and wet sand :-D).

Izzy liked building (and squashing too). In fact Izzy liked everything about the beach, especially running round climbing on and off deck chairs and attempting to go for a swim!

Meg did lots of paddling and splashing and generally enjoyed being wet and sandy.

Meg and daddy flew her kite, racing up and down. And as you can see from the pictures, despite it being a bank holiday there weren't too many people so we had loads of room to run around.

Isobel make a break for it with a windmill! She loved the space.

Meg and daddy had a pedalo ride.

Then it was my turn, along with my dad and Isobel, who loved the boat and water but wasn't so keen on her life jacket.

Isobel has a real thing for my dad, despite her growing independence, she always wants a carry from Grumpa. It is very cute to watch her follow him round with her arms in the air and to hear her giggle to the same rhymes he used to sing to me when I was little.

And to end our day the sun came out and the girls got more wet and sandy and then enjoyed the bouncy castle and slide. It was with great pride that I watched my littlest one confidently climb the the top of the bouncy slide and then turn round and come down feet first, laughing all the way. Whilst her daddy hid his eyes worrying about her. She proved yet again that it is good to let them push the boundaries and to trust their sense of self. Rob is still not convinced, but he is coming round. And I suspect, given our youngests dare devil tendencies, that he will continue to have this battle with himself, and she will continue to show no hesitation in doing what feels right.

So a lovely family day outdoors in the sunshine. What a fab start to the half term.

Outsidy times

2010-05-23T18:30:00.000+01:00

It's been a while since my last post, this is partly due to Rob switching the pc's around, partly due to doing lots of stuff, and party due to mind set. I'm still struggling to come to terms with losing my Grandma, I'm a bit hummy and hahy about things so I haven't really felt like writing about things, I can't even manage proper English, so please forgive my various made up words! Grandma's funeral was on Friday and whilst it was a chance to say goodbye and see family it has also left me with things to think about, more on that another day when I am feeling more verbose and straight headed.

Despite the sadness, there has also been plenty of happiness, and some lovely times with my girlies, who are now fully recovered from chicken pox. There has also been lots of taking advantage of this lovely weather, the last week or so has been full of outsidy times.

Picking daisies:

Stealing a kiss:

Lounging in a chair, looking very pleased with herself, with a face covered in sand!

Splashing in the pool:

Doing a sponsored obstacle course:

Pushing the pushchair round the garden:

Chilling in the pool with an ice lolly:

It really has been a great week or two with the girls, Meg has been discovering the joys of proper chapter books (the twits and the worst witch so far) and eagerly awaits each instalment. And Isobel just keeps growing and seems to never crawl now, toddling round and climbing everything. I'm hoping the weather holds for a few weeks. It is just so lovely to be sat here typing and watching whilst they play in the garden - Meg making sand cakes for her shop, and Isobel doing something very purposeful, involving a pushchair, a bucket and some gravel!

Thankfulness

2010-05-03T18:02:00.000+01:00

It's been a rough old few days. Loosing Grandma was a real shock, she had a big stroke, she had been fighting and winning her battle against cancer, a stoke was the last thing on our minds. I spoke to her Thursday night (which I will be forever grateful for) and she was full of her recent holiday and very excited that Meg got into her first choice school and that Isobel is walking properly, we had a good old chinwag and were planning for my dad's birthday (today), I said I'd see her very soon. Then on Friday afternoon I got the call from my dad and just made it to the hospital in time to say goodbye. I should have been walking in the woods near my parents house today celebrating my dad's birthday with my parents and my Grandma, instead I'm sat thinking about what might have been, it doesn't seem real.

To add insult to injury as Friday evening progressed it became clear that those spots on Isobel weren't aggravated eczema as I had thought, but that they were indeed chicken pox, which very quickly appeared on Meg too. So now I have 2 very poxy (although fairly well under the circumstances) girls, one of whom is very sad as well as itchy. So at the moment it's all very odd, I'm so sad and have moments where it all feels unbearable, but I am also very busy looking after the girls. So in a strange kind of way the chicken pox is good as it's keeping us all occupied and distracted.

I know my Grandma wouldn't want me to feel sad she always said these years are the best of your life. I know she is in a better place. I miss her but I also need to carry on and live the example she set for me, so to that end the rest of this post is things I feel thankful for, as it is those things that will bring me through this sadness.

I am thankful for sunny days and tents to play peekaboo in.

I am thankful for vegetables to eat and to paint with!

I am thankful for this beautiful, freely given, smile.

I am thankful for the strength to let my girls try new things.

I am thankful that I don't drive and that we can have so much fun on the train.

I am thankful for every precious step.

I am thankful for every rainbow filled bubble.

I am thankful for the music, dancing and laughter that fills my house.

I am thankful for a lovely husband and two wonderful children and the loving family which we all find ourselves a part of. Most of all I am thankful for 31 wonderful years with a wonderful grandmother.

Grandma

2010-04-30T21:29:00.002+01:00

My Grandma passed away this afternoon. She was an amazing woman that inspired me to be the woman and mother I am. Despite the fact that she has been fighting cancer this was unexpected as she was recovering well, I'm still in shock. But I needed to mark this day. Grandma, I love you and will miss you. May light perpetual shine upon you.

Pointing

2010-04-25T22:18:00.004+01:00

Isobel loves to point. At anything and everything, often accompanied by streams of babble and the odd word. It's a lovely, if occasionally frustrating phase (you know those moments where she is pointing and grunting and you don't know what they she wants so you try everything but you can't quite get it right! Although the fail safe is doggie, archibald the orangutan or raisins). She is so engaged and wants to know about everything, always pointing and babbling. She points at all dogs and says "dog" or her version there-of depending on how chatty she is feeling. All staffies are "Georgie". She wants to love them all.

Cameras, phones and remote controls are all also cause for much pointing, accompanies by babble which loosely translates as "give it to me, now!" Here I was taking a picture and she was more interested in how she could get the camera! Of course it's not all clear cut, especially as she uses yes "esss" and no (shakes head) inter-changeably and she can't understand why I don't immediately get what she means and wants, or doesn't want.

And of course when she is feeling very enthusiastic, there is the double point!

She is such a funny little poppet, she is really starting to come into her own and I'm really going to miss this Isobel when she moves on. Already she can climb the stairs and come down fairly effectively, she can climb (using the duplo basket!) onto the windowsill (that was a bit of a shock!), she can escape from her high chair, and language is starting to come as is her walking, in a few months she really will be a toddler. Meg is loving it and can't wait to be able to play proper games with her sister. But for now I'm loving pointing and of course my pointy little girl!

Gallery visits and a small rant

2010-04-17T18:50:00.000+01:00

We've been to two art galleries with my mom and dad over the last week, The Public on Thursday because mom and dad wanted to go, and walsall last Saturday to see Party Piece a lovely dance/music event to celebrate 10 years of walsall new art gallery.

Thursday was lovely, a morning swimming followed by a visit to the gallery, lots of light and sound for the girls, Isobel loved the light pictures (and being carried by Grumpa!)

We experimented with the picture booths which allow people in different booths to be in one picture - Meg was really worried about the people that kept appearing till we showed her exactly how it worked.

Meg made more cartoons of herself, and would probably still be doing it given half a chance!

We also spent lots of time drawing pictures, using the touch screens.

Saturday was really good, a tap and ballet exhibition, followed by a tea dance with a swing band. Meg danced for hours - something I'll come back too at the end of this post!

Mum and Dad waltzed with Isobel.

And we ended our visit with a good mooch round the collections, and some drawing.

Ok Meg's dancing, something really bothers me so I just wanted to ponder it out. Meg is very expressive, and sings and dances alot, anywhere. I love that she is so un-inhibited, it is wonderful to watch her being free, she is confident and happy which is what I wanted for her when we set out on this journey. Alot of other children don't seem to behave like this - she was the only child that danced to the band, the others just "hung round". She knows that she is different, she said, "the children don't like me because I'm too bouncy". I want her to be who she is, not feel she has to change to "fit in" but at the same time, I can already see a time when this free spirited nature isolates her to the extent she is unhappy or bullied. We get alot of comments about her confidence from other parents, often I think meant as criticism. I get really angry at this what right do they have to comment on my daughter, her singing isn't upsetting anyone, so why should she be made to feel that she can't express herself in ways that make her feel happy?

The way we are approaching it is allowing her to be who she wants to be whilst at the same time giving her the tools (support, confidence and a strong sense of self) to deal with issues when they arise (or be able to tell us so we can intervene on her behalf). But I have to confess for this spirited child I see school being a struggle as I know she wont "fit in" in the conventional sense, although her sense of fun and sheer joy in what she does mean that at nursery she has lots of friends, which she loves, hence us wanting to give school a go.

The problem (if there is one) isn't with my daughter, it is with a society that seems to think little girls prancing and singing is wrong, a society that markets padded bikini tops and make-up at very young girls, a society that teaches materialism and consumerism at a very young age. This tide needs to be stopped, and if enough of us do something different, and jump off the band wagon, hopefully we will reverse it. But unfortunately not in time for my 4 year old to be allowed to feel comfortable expressing herself without someone feeling the need to comment, which is so very sad. So forgive me if the next person to comment on her "confidence" gets a smack in the mouth, but she is amazing and I love her very much just the way she is and she does not need to "tone it down"!

Outdoors and loving it

2010-04-10T18:14:00.005+01:00

We have really enjoyed the last few days of sunshine and have been outside at every opportunity, and I have to say that someone up there really has excellent timing, as Isobel has decided to depart from the traditional teething route and over the last week has cut 2 back molars to add to her 5 front teeth, and the ONLY thing that cheers her up is being outside. So be outside is what we've done.

Meg asked to make coloured water - so we added food colouring and made lots of "potions".

We have spent days at one park or another with picnics in tow, for me and Meg at least as her poor little teeth mean Isobel is only eating raisins and yogurt! Or at least was till this morning when she ran off with my hot cross bun and ate the lot! So hoping we are reaching this end of this teething phase.

Rob said, "why are you packing the rain suit when it's a lovely day?" I of course had the last laugh when the baby spent the day happily tumbling round in the still damp grass but stayed warm and dry :-D

We've had lots of swings.

And have discovered how to climb, and laugh as we run away from mommy.

Meg has enjoyed being truly free and just mooching around in nature, looking at flowers, trees and birds, asking loads of questions and generally soaking it all in, we saw a mommy duck on her nest and sat and watched for ages as Meg was completely enthralled.

And Meg overcame a fear of the zip wire, and was so excited that she could hold on - she has always worried that she wouldn't be strong enough so hasn't tried, and we haven't pushed, but this week I asked if she wanted a go, she said yes and 5 goes later she was laughing and was filled with so much wonder at her own abilities it made me grin for the rest of the day.

They are outside playing as I type this, Meg organising her dollies in the tent and Isobel just mooching and enjoying the view. I'm exhausted though as Meg was sick in the night, not sure why as she seems fine today, but of course she came in at about 5am saying she had a tummy ache, mummy invited her in for a snuggle and then we all ended up covered in sick! Plus of course Isobel is up alot in the night with her poorly teeth, still all is quiet now and they are both smiling so I can't ask for much more - although an afternoon nap with my littlest rainbow may well be on the cards!

Easter

2010-04-05T18:00:00.000+01:00

We've had a fabulous few days, enjoying family and celebrations. Easter is one of my favourite celebrations not least because of it's significance in the church calendar, but also because it is usually really the start of much better weather, and this year it was also followed by my 31st birthday to round of a fabulous long weekend.

Isobel tries on Meg's Easter bonnet:

Meg and George modelling her Easter bonnet made for the nursery Easter bonnet parade which Meg enjoyed immensely.
Even pretty dresses don't keep these two from engaging in a bit of rough and tumble - I was trying to persuade them to sit nicely for a sisterly picture but decided that this was much better, as they were both laughing their heads off rolling round the floor.

Meg had her first go at sewing.

And made this lovely Easter bunny hand puppet from a kit she had as an Easter present.

Auntie Nikki, Uncle Brian and Liam came to visit and the children wilded away the afternoon decorating eggs with paint, feathers and way too much glitter!

Auntie Nikki was very popular with Isobel.

Two weeks before Easter we made our Lenten garden which remained bare till Easter Sunday, Meg really enjoyed collecting the moss and watered it faithfully everyday.

She was so excited to come down on Easter day, to find flowers, animals and eggs decorating the garden.

And of course Meg met the Easter bunny which was very exciting although she said she thought the real Easter bunny is brown and more bouncy ;-D

This weeks smiles...

2010-04-01T18:27:00.005+01:00

A picture of a mommy and baby leopard seal drawn by Megan, who never ceases to amaze me.

A fairy baby.

Matching Easter dresses made by my very talented mother in law.

Another fairy.

Megan and her friend - coconutta - she insisted we had to dress her, and believe me dressing a coco-nut is not easy!

Being a music box dolly.

Sisterly cuddles, these two really do love each other so much, it makes my heart go pop!

Playing with Grumpa.

The simplest things...

2010-03-20T21:15:00.004Z

We wanted to collect moss for the Easter garden, so I said we should have a walk round the block to see what we could find - coupled of course with some puddle jumping!

We founds lots of moss:

And lots of puddles:

We walk lots, in some really stunning woods and parks, but Megan really really loved today, asking tonight "can we go to the block again tomorrow?"

At the art gallery

2010-03-20T21:15:00.000Z

Friday morning was passed very pleasantly mooching round the charity shops and playing at the art gallery. It surprises me how active Izzy is now compared to her first visit, her progress seems natural at home but when we are out I see the last stage in my head and it seems a big leap forward.

At the moment Isobel likes to do what ever Meg is doing:

Both girls engrossed in colouring, or general exploration in Isobel's case.

There is lots of dressing up at the gallery to allow a fully interactive experience with the exhibits, I couldn't resist seeing what Izzy thought of the alien costume:

True to her (mostly) placid nature she loved it and didn't want to take it off. She and Meg chased round playing Aliens and Princesses for a fair old while!

Until of course she realised the sleeves impeded her music! She loves these xylophones - just at the right height for her too.

Meg always wears the dresses as she wants to be one of the ladies in this picture, I measure how much she has grown by how well this dress fits!

A lovely day topped with some fab bargains and an afternoon spent reading stories (and anatomy books!) to my girlies. Meg's latest thing is the body - she wants to know what does what and all the proper names, so much so a trip to the library was needed!

Spring season swap

2010-03-20T13:09:00.002Z

Meg woke me at 6:30 asking if it was time to open the swap yet! She was very excited and was even more excited when our package yielded 3 lovely knitted bunnies (mommy, daddy and baby apparently).

We arranged them nicely on the seasonal table...

then we re-arranged them.....

then we decided that they would rather play hide and seek with the spring flower fairies!

Thank you Sunshine - they are lovely and Meg and Isobel both think they are great, although not sure they will spend long on the seasonal table as they are just the right size for meg's imaginative play.

Hurrah we played outside

2010-03-16T20:47:00.002Z

Meg was at preschool this afternoon and when we got home we had our first proper outside play session of the year it was great they both had a whale of a time. As you can see from this cheesey grin!

Meg loved rediscovering her trampoline.

Isobel spent ages sifting through the gravel.

In fact gravel seems to be lots of fun!

We came in to spelt pasta with vegetable sauce and grated cheese and garlic bread - they both ate masses thanks to all the fresh air, spring is truly on it's way!

First steps!!!!!

2010-03-16T07:58:00.003Z

This little rainbow just (about 10 mins ago) took her first steps - she walked from the sofa about 3 - 4 steps into Daddys arms (it was more falling forward with grace than intention, but it was definately steps!) :-D It's all the more speical as Daddy didn't see Meg's first steps as her was working in India at the time.

I am so excited, I don't want to wish her babyhood away but can't wait for them to be running round the park together this summer :-D

Mothering Sunday

2010-03-15T19:29:00.006Z

Sunday was a fairly normal day. Which is exactly how I wanted to spend my Mothering Sunday (although I have to admit a lie in would have been nice!), doing what I normally do with my girls, and enjoying being their mom. We don't really go in for presents, but I received a lovely handmade card, decoration and wooden coaster from my girls, and all the mommies were given a flower at church, Meg and the other Sunday school children handed them out and she was so proud of her little basket. They are in pride of place on my mantle, Meg said "mommies are special cos they love you, and always give the biggest hugs and kisses AND they cook dinner".

Meg also decorated the spring table - which I have just decided to go with. Meg is so excited by the arrival of Spring, she has made flowers and bugs and brings home catkins and twigs with buds and other "tree treasure" as often as she can. I had wanted to focus the table on the lent theme of reflection and calm but at 4, flowers and buds and planting things in the dirt wins hands down, and I can't help but be swept along by her excitement, so here is my slightly mad, but very springy 4 year old decorated table.

Everyday things

2010-03-14T14:09:00.006Z

We've been up to lots of fairly everyday things over the last few days, but each one has brought its own little delights.

Making Mothering Sunday cards for Nana and Great Grandma:

Painting with her tongue out, not for concentration, but because she really wanted to eat that paint!

Painting flower pots for Mothering Sunday, the insides are as important as the outsides!

A family of playdough spiders, each with 8 legs and 8 eyes, at a cafe being served "fly toast"!

We are decorating the stairs, and many an hour of fun has been had with this pile of plasterboard. It was a stage, a trampoline, an aeroplane, and for Isobel an assault course!

Building Duplo centaurs, all her own work and ideas, then playing games with her two new friends.

I love these shots of George, he looks so moody and mean:

Then he spoils his tough guy look by grooming the baby! Who laughs her head of at his licky tongue.

There is lots more to say but no time as this has been a delight filled but very busy week, especially the bits where we all have to avoid touching the wet plaster - try doing that when you are four!

Sundays are for....

2010-03-07T18:36:00.002Z

Cuddles with your big sister:

Doing acrobatics on mommy and daddies bed:

Snugging with your sister under her new bed canopy

Wrestling with daddy:

Snuggling on daddies lap to eat an apple, whole naturally because that is how big sis eats hers:

A very chilled relaxed pj day here to get over yesterdays excitement, it's been lovely.

A special four year old

2010-03-07T09:16:00.004Z

On 6 March at 10.07 I became a mommy to the most beautiful little girl we named Megan Elizabeth. This is our first cuddle, Rob says I look really ill in the picture, and I probably I do as I didn't react well to the drugs after the anaesthetic, but I don't see that when I look at this picture, I just see happiness.

The first year was a huge learning curve, but an amazing experience, and all of a sudden she was one, and then two, here she is on her second birthday with Nana and Grumpa, by the time she was 2 she was a proper little chatterbox with a very clear sense of humor and a streak of cheekiness! It was amazing to me that my baby had developed into a little person.

By her third birthday, Isobel had arrived and daddy had started baking, he made this numberjack number 3 cake and we had a family meal out. She loved being outside, playing families and lots and lots of imaginative play.

Then yesterday she was 4! It seems almost like the blink of an eye! She is still young, sometimes very young, like last night when after a very busy day she snuggled in my arms and I sang her to sleep using the same song I have sung since she was born (Dear Jessie with the name changed to Meggie). But other times she is grown up and self possessed, we had a birthday party and she welcomed her guests and said to me that she wanted to play with everyone so no-one felt left out. And this morning we have had a long conversation about domesticated v wild animals, with her asking lots of questions about how the "natural order" works, but then in a blink we are back to tears because the dulpo blocks won't do what she sees in her head.

She had a wonderful day (more pictures to follow) and although I have some anxieties about the coming year (school) I am loving every step of the journey with my imaginative, caring, funny, quirky little girl who makes me smile and fall in love with her all over again every single day.

Birthday preparations

2010-03-05T22:20:00.002Z

My big girl is four tomorrow, Rob and I have been busy preparing for the big event all week!!! I'm almost as excited as she is because I love celebrations and because this one marks my first tentative steps into motherhood and because this year Meg is really excited too. More about all my lovely girl and her day tomorrow, but I thought I'd share a few preparation shots as part of sharing my excitement.

The birthday crown in it's early stages:

Rob's amazing baking:

The cake all iced (it's a pink princess castle - which is what she wanted):

Her butterfly birthday crown all finished and ready for a birthday head:

The birthday table waiting for a birthday girl, flowers and the crown with a few presents (notably pre-loved care bears which again is what she has been asking for since Christmas!) and her bed canopy, put up temporarily over the table as we don't have the right ceiling hook.

Right I'm off to bed so I can get some sleep before the exciting day.

A week of randomness

2010-02-28T15:00:00.007Z

It's been yet another busy week, getting back into the swing of things after half term, and generally enjoying life. The best news is that we have seen lots more daddy this week as work is getting a bit more sensible again. So this post is all those random moments that have made me smile this week, or at least those that occurred whilst there was a camera handy!

This baby really enjoys her food. I'm so glad we discovered blw, it has been a real revelation just watching her tuck in and experiment, this was peaches and natural yogurt. "Was" being the key word in that sentence!

This baby also loves pots and pans, I can fill a casserole pot with lots of bits and bobs and it will keep her occupied for a fair old while, hopefully long enough for me to cook dinner, as she wants everything and even on my back in the sling spends too much time trying to grab everything!

Lots of time with Daddy and Lego, you can't start them too young is Rob's motto! He is a mad lego collector, we have tons of the stuff, all building towards his magnificent octopus!

Meg is already a lego devotee and has really relished having her daddy back.

Floor picnics, Isobel eating again!

They play together constantly, not always harmoniously as Isobel is of course desperate to have everything Meg has, but on the whole there is a lovely little bond developing. Nobody cheers up the little one like her big sis.

More food for Isobel - this time yet more eggs!

And a wonderful hippo puppet show written and performed by Meg.

In addition to food, food and more food, and lego and puppet shows! Isobel and I joined some lovely GP mama's for a slightly wet and cold stroll around Sandwell Valley farm on Friday, I didn't take any pictures as I was too busy yaking! Isobel had a lovely time, and has been eating dried apple rings for the whole weekend after getting a taste for someone elses - thanks Sarah :-D.

The weekend was taken up by swimming, food shopping, church, Nana and Grumpa and lots of dog walking. Where Meg collected catkins and buds for the seasonal table. I am finding it hard to balance the quiet reflectivity of Lent with the changing season outside, I wanted to keep our table bare till holy week, but the children and nature seem to have different ideas, I'll be having a bit of a tinker with the table this evening to try and find a balance, so watch this space for pictures.

Next Saturday is Megan's 4th birthday, so a birthday crown and dolly present to finish this week, as well as a seasons swap, must get sewing!!!!

Butterfly Farm

2010-02-20T15:52:00.002Z

On Thursday we had a half term day out at the butterfly farm in Stratford. Chosen because we are about to send off for the caterpillars for the butterfly set Meg had for Christmas and we wanted to remind her of the life cycle and show her some real life cocoons. Plus its a great day out, especially in bad weather, which it was, it snowed all day!

Isobel loved the parrots they had flying round and laughed every time she saw one (not sure what happened to my sling, I think I must have been rushing to put her in to run inside out of the snow!) A butterfly landed on Megan, because she told me it thought she was a big pink flower.

Auntie Nikki and Liam joined us, and Megan and Liam were in awe of the lovely colours, you can't see the butterfly they are looking at but it was lovely - Megan was singing to it. They also loved the Koi carp which are absolutely huge!

As it was half term we participated in an insect talk, Megan held a stick insect and a giant millipede. She also learned that spiders have 8 or 6 eyes and that all spiders even house ones are venomous, facts which she now shares with anyone who will listen!

We had a fab day, finished off with a rare trip to pizza hut to abuse the salad bar - Isobel ate her own body weight in sweetcorn one tiny piece at a time and thoroughly enjoyed herself.

Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras

2010-02-18T17:46:00.003Z

On Tuesday we had a bit of a carnival theme, as Meg had seen pictures of the carnival dancers and wanted to know what that was all about, so we watched some footage of Mardi Gras in New Orleans and made a Mardi Gras crown and pasta beads, before having our very own carnival parade round the living room.

This of course was followed by the more traditional activity of pancake making and eating, Meg is very aware of the symbolism and was keen to talk about Lent and what we would give up and what it all means for us. Luckily I came across this online which has helped to explain.

The girls and George all tucked into pancakes.

Megan likes her pancakes totally plain.

Isobel had hers with a little bit of honey.

I'm not very good at pancakes, but as is often the case at the moment daddy was at work (and he is the pancake making expert), so they weren't pretty but they tasted great, and I even managed to impress Meg with a little bit of flipping.

On the subject of Daddy and work, his project sign-off is today and it's going to be a long one, but then hopefully things should get better. I have to say we miss him loads, work is the only thing we ever really have cross words about, which I think says a lot! Wish we could just settle down in the countryside (probably somewhere in Yorkshire) and grow our own and be self-sufficient and have no outside work to do - one day (a girl can dream).

Back on subject I'm giving up meat for Lent (I always do), but since I've barely eaten any recently I am also giving up chocolate. We are also trying to spend 10 minutes "quiet time" each morning, to reflect and contemplate.

Chinese new year

2010-02-17T18:23:00.003Z

Megan told me at breakfast on Sunday that it was the year of the tiger - to be honest this was totally out of the blue, I didn't even know she knew it was Chinese new year. But they had talked about it at preschool at some point during the previous week. She asked if we could celebrate, so we decided to make a dragon mask.

When the mask was made and dry, she entertained us with a Chinese dragon dance with her pom poms! Apparently they were the dragon's firey breath!

She happily twirled and roared and stomped her way round the house, so I think the Chinese new year has been well and truly welcomed in at our house!

Book sharing Monday

2010-02-15T19:16:00.002Z

I haven't done book sharing Monday for a while but we are really enjoying this one at the moment so wanted to share. The book is Thank you, God! Pictures by Sophie Allsopp.

It is a lovely collection of seasonal poems and prayers for young children, and is beautifully illustrated. It has a really nice selection focused around the seasons and nature, and has been adding a real sense of ceremony and praise to our year.

"Now let the skies be joyful and earth sing back her praise."

"Let us run and play together and just love the autumn weather."

Each page has little envelopes with prayer cards and thank you's. Which Meg loves because they are a bit different from a normal book.

"Through the night thy angels kept watch over me while I slept; now the dark has passed away, thank thee, Lord, for this new day."

This week...

2010-02-14T19:24:00.006Z

It's been a busy week, mainly because for most of it I've felt like a single mom and given the important role Rob usually has, it's been hard! He only saw the girls one night in the week and then had to work Saturday as well!! His job is often like this, lots of peaks and troughs, and in a way we're lucky as he works from home and often has plenty of time to be with our family. But of course this means we really feel it when he isn't around! We all miss him and loosing that second pair of hands makes all the difference, especially at the moment as Isobel is into absolutely everything. Which is pretty ok as we have a very go with the flow type house, but when she is trying to climb up the hot oven or scaling the book shelves whilst I'm cooking it can be a little hard - so she has been in the sling a lot this week.

She has also played with Dobin a lot, and laughs her head off during her games.

She is doing really well with her food, eating (or at least trying) pretty much anything I put in front of her. But there is a clear favourite - eggs - scrambled, boiled, poached, in quiche or frittata or omelet. The biggest hit is scrambled eggs with beans and toast. So I've stocked up on eggs from my sisters chickens and have got lots of cans of organic baked beans (I'm also planning to have a go at making my own this week) as she clears her plate every time.

As usual there was baking in there - this time heart shaped shortbread for valentines day (I didn't get a picture of the finished product as they didn't last that long).

Hidey-boo is big on Izzy's list of favourite activities this week.

As is sucking her thumb with a play silk or soft toy in hand.

Meg built houses, towers, schools and farms.

They had several floor picnics - usually involving lots of fruit. I have to say fruit and veg occupy the biggest part of my shopping list every week, they devour so much - Meg ate a whole red pepper like an apple earlier in the week!

We went to visit great grandma, who is doing remarkably well for a lady of 88 with uterine cancer. She keeps a huge box of duplo at her house to keep the great grandchildren entertained when they visit - she was the same when I was little but then it was a box full of little metal matchbox cars, unfortunately after 6 grandchildren worth of use over about 20 years they had to go off to be recycled so my aunt passed on my cousins duplo. Isobel loves the big box it is in, as much as the duplo.

Then at the weekend we have caught up a little bit on daddy time, and Meg and daddy built a dulpo zoo train.

Not sure who had the most fun!

Meg and I have also been to see our nanny in her amature production of puss in boots, and I have to say there was nothing amature about it - they were very good and Meg had a wonderful time. Nana had to be called upon to stay with Izzy (she would have never sat still) as Rob was supposed to do it, but had to work! I was very worried, as although the girls see Nana a lot Isobel hasn't spent that much time alone with anyone other than me, Rob and Claire, I nearly cancelled going to the panto, but Meg was so upset at that prospect! I needn't have worried though as Nana and Izzy had a great time, and even when I walked back in Isobel carried on playing her game of hidey-boo with Nana as if I wasn't there.

Finally our weekend has ended by saying goodbye to our parish priest of 38 years, we attended his final service and retirement party this morning. It must be so hard to leave a job you have given your soul to for so long, Megan and I prayed for him tonight at bed time as she is very worried about where he will live now.

We also made a dragon mask for Chinese new year - but that's another post.

Books and bookshelves

2010-02-07T15:56:00.011Z

Inspired by this post from Pippa, I thought I'd have a think about what my bookshelves say about me - other than the fact that I have wayyyy too many books! We have books in every room of the house, on shelves, in piles, on the floor, under the bed, and just in case usually one under my pillow! I have loved to read since I was tiny and especially as a teenager. My friends read point horror and mills and boon, whilst I read Animal Farm, Wild Swans, anything by Issac Asimov or Frank Herbert sprinkled liberally with a bit of Dean Koontz and James Herbert. I just love books, so predictably we have lots!

I have books next to my sofa in the living room, including a beautiful hardback set of my favourite Little Women from my dad for my birthday, ladybird books for snuggly sofa story time and my easy grabs for a quick 5 minutes read when I need inspiration, toxic childhood, connection parenting and janey lee grace feature there.

In our office (think jazzed up lean too on the side of the house!) We have a wall of books, and musical instruments. Here you can see my cook and crafty books, as well as lots of Frank Herbert. Rob and I were both reading Dune (for the 4th and 5th times respectively) the day we met! For fans out there we often seriously discuss either Leto or Liet as a boys names and Meg was nearly Chani!!! Also featuring is my sewing box and Rob's guitars, at the last count he has 5 guitars, a bass and a mandolin - he is always twinkling, playing or writing songs, no wonder Meg knows all the words to Lithium and this weeks favourite "that's entertainment" by the Jam!

Underneath the speakers! Lives the girls books and basket of instruments - deliberately at baby height to allow her to join in when daddy is jamming! Meg also has a bookcase in her room, to accommodate the must haves from the charity shop and library sales.

Another part of the wall long book case holds my thrillers. I really am a sucker for blood and guts and love John Connelly and Richard Montinari and Stuart McBride. Photo albums, magazines, more books and baskets of crafty things and yet more instruments as well as board games occupy what is left of the shelf.

The one case I didn't take a picture of (not sure why!) holds my collection of old/rare/first edition children's books - notably the chalet school series and lots of enid blyton.

My most prized book is a signed hardback copy of the Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz, he signed it "remember always the precious heritage of freedom". This is probably one of my favourite books of all time. Slavomir was a Polish Solider taken to a Siberian prison camp in 1939. He escaped and with 6 companions walked to freedom across the Himalayas and the Gobi dessert. It is an amazing story of endurance and courage and I like it so much I actually have 3 copies (I don't read the signed one and have 2 paper backs just in case).

Ok so what have I learned in my brief trawl through my bookshelves? Well apart from the obvious that we love books and music and will probably end up with seriously warped teenagers (a combination of sci-fi/fantasy and horror coupled with lots of metal and grunge!). I think I realise that what I take for granted, a houseful of books and music, is actually a pretty special thing and features more in our lives than I had realised. We read to the girls and sing and play music all the time, Rob reads to me (Terry Pratchett mostly as he has a real flare for the voices!) and most of our family festivals revolve around the contents of those shelves, like reading a night before Christmas on Christmas eve and the girls special birthday stories and our Easter stories and the children's bible we read every Sunday after tea. I also realised it's been a whole 6 months at least since I last read the Long Walk so I'd better read it again :-D

The Public

2010-02-06T19:58:00.005Z

We go to Walsall Art Gallery a fair bit, as it's great entertainment and easily accessible. However this week we've discovered The Public, an interactive art gallery in West Bromwich. I took the girls on Friday afternoon, and Meg is already chomping at the bit to go back. You ride up in the lift to the third floor and then work your way down a spiralling ramp past the exhibits. Meg liked the avatars - using a floor based "fly pad" you control your characters flight around the gallery.

Most of the exhibits are light and sound based, and all around are little bays with different things to explore, like this one which created stripy coloured pictures.

Meg is at the perfect age and height to enjoy the exhibits, here she is controlling a "data waterfall".

The favourite exhibit, was the animation exhibit where you select a series of pictures and then photograph yourself with them to create a animation flicker book - here she is pretending to be scared by the big spider.

Interactive drawing was also a big hit.

We will definitely be going back, we all enjoyed the visit, they also do children's workshops at the weekends and in school holidays which I'm sure we will go and check out in the not too distant future.