Great Ed Day + Birthday Boy

more snow, on ice, so daren’t actually go out and slide to bottom of hill! [ed note – these posts are getting too long, will precis tomorrow]

SB HE
Anyway, we did the vikings section of the time traveller book – looking at the pictures and spotting things, while I read some of the paragraphs according to her interest. Followed this with some of the pages in the DK Viking book – lovely pictures in there – and discussing how we could make her a Viking outfit, and which style she would like. Also where they lived, and the difference with us, and what they ate and the differences. [this was all in bed snuggled with BB, so very nice!]
When we got up we gave BB a ‘baby massage’ of unique technique. It is amazing just how big a bottom and thighs BB has got. SB was a bit unsure whether we had enough massage oil to cover them all!

A weetabix breakfast and the we got down to serious business of making Chris a birthday cake – so it was a carrot cake of course. SB getting v careful with the weighing and measuring. She shows good understanding of the bigger numbers, the tens, and which order to read the numbers in. She stands a much better chance of being a domestic goddess than me!

We then read together some letterland books, and although she can’t read, she understands what reading is, and makes a good stab at reading letters and blending them into words even if there is a lot of ‘scaffolding’ at the mo.
While I was getting card things out, she traced letters -totally her own idea. She definitely seems to be on a roll here. The maths type things I had put out stayed ignored.

I thought we were going to make Daddy’s card, but she said she had got one from nursery, and there it was, so we made cheer up cards for Little Nanny and one of her sisters. It was a planet theme- not sure why. Had Venus [well, the volcano one near the sun, so a good description], Saturn, Jupiter and Clanger planet. Then space dust from sand sprinkles. Our home page is the NASA astronomy picture of the day, and she always thinks the dust louds are beautiful. I’m not sure they are traditional condolence type cards, but I think they will be very appreciated. Beans on toast for luunch. SB confused as to why I was upset at her putting sand in mine – sigh. Had nearly finished though.

Then, a la trivium we had about 20 mins apart, she doing cbeebies, and I cleaned the dining room [ok, just a little after dinner party, but I am still only nearly semi domesticated!]

We read another 2 letterland books [her choice] and started on Viking casserole. unfortunately, as an unplanned activity, probably Barley and garlic the only reasonably Viking ingredients, as was more like a veggie cassoulet with dumplings in the end! She enjoyed thinking it was Viking though, pretending the veggie sausage was rabbit!

[addtition - I forgot that we made popcorn for the first time. I was a bit worried cos it took a while to pop, but v exciting!]

She then did some playing with a toy racing car, while I got to check mails etc. chris came home, collapsed into chair and watched clangers wth her. And then had birthday viking tea and carrot cake with candle on the top. [not the correct number though!] I must of thought I was in Melrose, as at least 6 more portions than required. On the card front, she told Chris that her friend Bridie had made it for him, so after all that card making, chris didn’t have one made by Elinor. i just give in sometimes.

Manic ballet dancing to classic FM, bathtime and bed, with Daddy being the storyteller. I did a collapse in heap from such an intensive day impression! Then rang Little Nanny, who is well, and no snow their today.

BB
Where was she during the day??? Well, in her playgym, in a rocker chair with different playgym, being cuddled and loved, feeding lots and starting to laugh rather than just open mouth. I think on balance she did lose out on attention, as she often does when SB at home and not Chris. Hopefully not detrimentally. Its just that she is a content and happy baby, and can gurgle in gym for an hour while I am doing things with SB, losing track of time.

How do you juggle 2 compteting attentions fairly, especialy when one is vocal, demanding and high maintenance, whereas the other is more laidback, and often just content sitting on your lap while you’re doing something.

ME
Thanks for kind messages. think lack of sleep coming with worrying and I just don’t think about big pictures, just the worries. Arranging visits to nurseries etc doesn’t help. We will prob use for 2 days a week so there is instant group of children to meet – especially as one nursery in the village. Chris will be able to do supply on those days and when I have days off too. That way Keeps in the picture. When SB and us settled in, and hopefully I have wangled a change in working patterns, we will relook at this.

Chris
HAPPY BIRTHDAY