September 2005

well, no photos taken - that must be blogworthy!!

postman brought sonlight order while we were away [its in things I have my eye on page]. I managed to restrain myself and open with SB. So we have read the archaelogists dig for clues, maps and globes, first 3 greek myths and done first 8 pages of explode the code book 1.

for a break, we went swimming! SB swam a whole width, so will have to arrange hose swimming lessons now as promised. STill in drowning dog style, but she has such confidence in the water. her stroke is far better when underwater swimming as not worrying about keeping head up. She almost immediately started playing with another girl, and they had a whale of a time together. Hopefully we will meet up at the pool again sometime. BB loves being in the water, splashing and kicking away.

Came home for beans on toast, read a bit on egyptians, greeks and romans from the encyclopaedia, also the earth and solar system. [SB chose the pages that looked interesting to her] Some singapore maths and then colouring of a big fun book she has.

I then went out to harvest all the onions/shallots before rain makes them worthless. they are v damp, so will need airing/drying.
SB got the hama out for another flower. She wants to make loads and loads, so have done a bead merrily order.

Minor moment as I insisted on playing with BB, and heaps of books brought to my feet. We continued, and when settled, relented and multitasked.

Now rewriting my lost presentation for friday - sigh. Anf flickr uploader crashed, so fiddled about with that, but first 50 won’t automatically be in the set. Have looked at screamteam’s photos while waiting

agh, my presentation frozen - am i in autosave mode? dare i find out?

Anyway, will take this oportunity to blog - initialy sketchilly and to fill in.

tuesday
miraculously left at 7.30 and a few traffic jams aside, made good progress. Stopped in a service station to find chris’s bumbag [with everything inside] precariously hanging to outside of car through SB’s imperfectly shut car door [Yep, gave him a hard time on a number of the issues raised]
tent up easily - poles are helpful here
SB helping was even helpful in places.
Lovely campsite
We then went for walk up onto quantocks - it was BB’s first bushbaby experience, and she seemed to like it. SB enjoyed the walk as well.

It was still reasonably warm at night - no need for fleece blankets etc. If mudpud does end up moving, this would be a good alternaive week? could have a rising 5’s not back to school barbie [katy's idea, though we couldn't make it]

Wed
Visited Crealy, and met up with the Screamteam and 2 red Boots. We were late, but they appeared unfazed. It really is a great place, but not able to forcibly move it to closer to home.
Lovely day and lovely company. the children played happily, and after a slightly shakey start, SB got the flow of things too. Kessie dog certainly a softie, and even I’m not afraid of her! Relaxed chat for adults, and lots of water playing for children. yep, it is going on flickr as I type!

thurs
met up with a uni friend, Shaula, who is the children’s godmother. We took the somerset steam railway to minehead, had a picnic on the prom and then a walk and play along the sands. Not such scorching weather - Sb disappointed not to swim. However, looked at what I confidently explained were lugworm holes [i hope] and drew and wrote in the sand.
chris for some reason put BB in bushbaby backwards - looked very odd, and turned her round again.
Shaula had come bearing gifts - both children delighted!
She had tea and gossip with us, as it is far too long since we have met ‘IRL’

fri
this time a drive to exmoor and a couple of walks. around caractacus stone and tarr steps ancient clapper bridge. lovely day. tea shop lunch and chips at minhead prom for tea! SB a good walker now. didn’t moan too much that BB now has bushbaby! SB loves tree climbing too. Lots of roving HE - geography/maps contour lines, flooding, landscape reading, history, ancient technology, flora and fauna [caterpillars, pondskaters, sheep, ponies]

sat
slow to pack up, and had been rain overnight. SB took almost the whole tent packing time to tidy a few books and toys. Had been goingto look at a local abbey and then moveout, but just got going earlier to meet up with pete ‘n kate in bristol. He was Chris’s friend at uni, she mine at school and uni, they met at our wedding…..
lovely to catch up again.

so all in all a chilled and sociable holiday.

Home ed taking place - lots of colouring, a fair bit of singapore maths. SB ‘read’ to herself a variety of red nose readers, and we read a lot of others together. We looked at her egyptian book , why it rains and a space book as well. ed on the hoof as above, also star spotting in the evening - mostly making up our own constellations. I think shaula read SB the whole child’s bible.

Stringbean : ‘I am a robot, I will exterviate you’

:-)

loads to blog, lovely time
Hello sonlight order - big grin!!!!!

I am Oscar the Grouch, bear with a sore head. Its the first day of hols and I can barely interact with the beans. I need a well placed kick.
we have packed - including tent poles this time. no onion picking, but might just bugger off and do it considering the blackness of my mood.
Made worse by both girls wanting to be my shadow, so that I know how dreadful and spoilt I’m feeling.
I think I just need headspace, and don’t get a great amount of it - either at work or home.
Good hols will clear things up!

oh, things we’ve done - watched finding nemo, happy street, read some books, new webland, hama, colouring and music.

I have been barely interactive in anything despite SB trying her best. Crap Mum Day. Chris has taken over.

edit - slightly redeeming, we have actually completed and for the first time ever, ironed the hama. SB very impressed. I then perked enough to do the full bedtime thing with cuddles, snuggles and tickles, so prob forgiven. Still feel crap about it. Must have earlier night - and sleep the other side of the bed

second edit - actually, looking at the pictures, we also caught a butterfly and discussed lifecycle - moving on to dragonflies, where I have forgotten what their vicious waterlings are called. We watered in the greenhouse, and think we might even get fruit from the sweet peppers that SB collected seed from when cooking, chitted and insisted were all potted up. I don’t think day absolutely dreadful, but not good. Bad Mummy mark for them both wearing yesterdays clothes as well.

just dug up some more potatos and an onion and picked runners and sweetcorn. Apart from the eggs, the whole lunch [fritata and corn on the cob] were free food.
’bout time we had some chickens isn’t it!
i think we’ll prob go for the Spring [time to save for that nice swallow coop as a joint xmas, birthday etc pressie!

Well, that was the theme of the day, colouring really. She did ages this morning, found a colouring book we bought in Italy earlier this year, sat down witht he pencils quietly and coloured away. This book had coloured pictures and matching blanks, she seemed to really like that, as she copied all the colours (and made a fuss when she didn’t quite the right shade of yellow etc.)

She has suddenly really developed the pencil control here. For ages colouring wasn’t one of her fortes, she didn’t really seem to make much effort/be interested at all and it was typically quick scribble of colour ‘ done’. Now she is much more controllled, keeps teh colour moslty inside the lines, is much more careful, concentrates much more on and spends much longer doing it. And seems very pleased witht the result.

So , other than colouring, we went swimming later on, SB wanted to cycle, but the pool isn’t very near (nearest 6 miles, this one 8 miles), so bit of big round trip just yet. SB easily managed to kick a width with a float in front and she almost managed to swim/doggy paddle a width as well, did about 80 %. sdo she was on about swimming lessons again - Helen had said that she could have them once she could swim a width, BB bobbed about, gurgled, almost floated, kicked her legs and chuckled at SB. There was only me, which frustrated SB a bit, as she likes playing with in the pool, and it’s bit more limiting when i Ive got BB as well. At the poolwe went to in Leeds it was at private gym and was lovley, there was seperate kids pool with squirty water things, slide etc. so she could entertain herself more a lot as well.

I guess it is an under 5 session so they just ahve variosu floats etc. around. What she’d really like I guess is one of those big inflatables (or visit to Centrparcs….) We all had fun though.

On return BB slept for about 3 hours solid - bit worn out I think So me and SB had nice easy lunch together. After that there was a bit more colouring, then we went and gave BB’s high chair a good wash We used the pressure washer as it has too many nooks and crannies and is a pain to clean, hence it doesn’t get done properly often enough, so gave that good going over, cleanest it’s been I think since we bought it.

Then she wanted to get the Happy Street out, I did want to go and harvest all the shallots and onions, butr she wasn’t having any of it. So we built a nice Happy-tropolis and played with that - every time I tried to sneak off she complained.

BB woke up when it was almost her dinner time, so sat on the sofa feeding her, and doing more colouring with SB. I was just about to start dinner when Helen came home, so she spent time with the girls while I did dinner, a little bit of Hama-ing went on, but SB not entirley ahppy, and tipped what she had started back into the bowl. she doesn’t like Helen working so much (well none of us do) and then sometimes gets frustrated when BB gets in the way as well. She even commented at dinner time on why Helen was at work more - and the last couple of weeks ahve not been good workwise time anyway.

She fell asleep quickly though once in bed

to remove Chris’s awful blog from the top! He might as well have gone the whole hog, and Jax style put some photos up!!
mind you, our room not much better than Jax’s and hurricanes SB and BB have ripped up Happy Street - well mostly BB - and the floor is in uproar - add to that cratefulls of pencils,armfuls of books, some tops I got from ebay, sundry pages of the guardian and some hama beads…… well, you get the right impression.

I am on call, was in work until just after 6, so lucky to get back tonight. Greeted by an enthusiastic SB and a ravenous BB. Fed BB and told SB a story -after picking my way over happy street. We hama-ed while BB tore up happy street - chuckling and raaaring as she went. SB getting much more careful of the hama, but too impatient yet to complete anything on the midi bead size. they are fiddly aren’t they. I doubt I’d want to do the small. Lots more books and the macaroni cheese for tea - yum.

SB told me about her day - and as chris blogging better, he will prob add, but in summary, she was too attentiony for him to do anything seperate - and these jobs were pick the shallots and onions, and pack for hols. Upshot is that we wont be going on holiday tomorrow, but tues. Will text you sarah re wed if that OK. Maybe SB and I will pick tomorrow, as the shallots and unions really need to come up. They did go swimming, and she has done loads of really beautiful colouring, as well as play with the happy street. Anything else he’ll have to say.

Shame about the hols, but we are chilling, and it is better that we start a day late rather than get all twitched up to get there tomorrow night in dark and rain!

Special thoughts from this blog to Jax and Layla and families for tomorrow and the rest of the week, when I will be starved of knowing how things going on.

Get in the car this morning to go swimming, SB says ‘Why does this car get smellier and smellier?…….’

I don’t know, SB looked like a Bejoran at birth and BB a Klingon. Chris has swapped sci-fi programmes, and gone for a babylon 5 Minbari look!

These are the biggest happenings of the day - so obviously a relaxed one. i have had a really heavy week at work, and working tomorrow, so did need relaxed. i also haven’t been quite so manic today as needed a bit more headspace.

SB got up at some ungodly hour, and got up chris as well. BB and I slept a while longer, and then I got breakfast in bed - very nice. [no I haven't done night weaning or controlled crying yet]. Meandered downstairs and the outside. We started off with making scrabble words. SB made 3 3 letter words [cvc] herself that joined and was proud, but that was enough. BB had a lot of fun on the rocker horse. SB then did a counting game with chinese chequers board with me, whose rules I misunderstood, so a ‘moment’ there. Book time to calm things down, and I was brough the space and the machines picturepedia of DK. I was surprised how much SB has remembered about space, as it must be quite a number of months since we last really looked at it. She also remebered the gluing shapoes space picture we did back in march or april - blogged so I can find it! Thisn time we concentrated more on galaxies and the lifecycle of stars. She liked the idea of constellations, so this eve tried to look for some, but too cloudy. Didn’t see Venus either, but not sure whether that is in an evening or morning phase at the mo. We also had a look around the garden at different leaf types - and took photos for potential use in future.

Some making up stories later, and we went to harvest lunch - potatoes, runner beans and sweetcorn. Also some figs. SB now good at spotting the ripe sweetcorn and figs too. That gave us the idea for checking on the grapes, and a short taste test and we harvested the first bunch!! - wow, we are really happy about this. And they are nice eaters. some of the smaller slightly tart, but not too much. the largest very juicy and sweet.

While chris cooked lunch, SB did some sticker sleeping beauty story book, I read it too her, and then she did all the stickers while I played peekaboo with BB. Before that, she was BB the destroyer, ripping up the not-brio track that SB had obviously put out while we were still in bed. Yummy lunch, and some general playing. A short amount of singapore maths while chris [and BB] got the tandem ready, and then they were off for a spin.

While I was slightly nervous, BB and I had fun walking round the room and general chuckling and 9 month interactions. I don’t often get the chance to play so much with BB without interruption. Its quite pleasant isn’t it, to just be playing with one for a change. [not that I would swap anything here!]

the bigger beans returned unharmed, and I got a blow by blow account. Mostly wildness, rollerskating and magazine reading, then lots and lots of beautiful colouring in - finally she does it in the lines and carefully. This is probably tieing in with her increased interest in writing - where is that sonlight order with the getty and dubay! Anyway, we did writing practice in a jolly phonics workbook. I got to play a lot more with BB as well, without feeling I was depriving SB. maybe i should be more laid back more often? Nah.

Anyway, baths and both asleep. SB wanted Thomas books again - obviously back on a train theme, so will perhaps do a train ride next week in somerset.

Chris and SB gone for first ever tandem cycle ride …. on the roads. i had been thinkin g quiet estate or cycle track.
worried!
SB very excited

Beans seem to have a great day, they went to the mudpud group at Merry’s this pm. chris didn’t manage to make the animal halves, but it didn’t seem to matter. SB was full of playing whisper games and dragon chasing with Fran Maddy and E.

I was at work [and on call] and had to give my business plan type talk - was asked for a 1 1/2 hour talk on the future [to infinity and beyond...] - well, I’m afraid I find some of this management stuff a bit playacting at times. But was told this morning that they really wanted a SWOT analysis and 10 mins, so rewrote the whole bugger. [having googled for SWOT analysis!]

Actually it went well, i overan so was cut short, but fairly bounced like tigger around room with enthusiasm for my field, and apologised for my lack of management jargon [aka twaddle] due to not having an MBA [though didn't mention I had had to google SWOT analysis!], and stuffed talk full of incomprehensible speciality and health economics words instead As it happens, I actually had prepared talk properly [can't bear not to], and chief exec seemed impressed [good heavens].

Rather relieved to join the real world and speak plain english again. [well, for me, I know you think I write like dictation or telegram!]

home to the beans, and SB kisses and cuddles, and cupboard love and chuckles from BB. We have done some letter writing and sticker maths, and a bit of reading [a science encyclopaedia way over head about atoms, molecules and the periodic table. She did enjoy it, and we played find the element - wierd!]. Chris’s new tandem arrived, so duly oohed and aahed over it. SB very excited.

Edit - added by Chris.

Nothing to do with the above, I just love this url Raising Godly Tomatoes - not so sure of the content, TCS it ain’t. Came across it on another email list (CM4earlyears)

…and still loads of back catalog to do [grin!]

Anyway, SB and BB happy to see me on return from work - unlike JJ, we did NOT have sleeping baby last night [or bed on time Mum]. The storm was something though wasn’t it!

Our social diary prob full for this term, so very happy with that, and will fill up next as well. [though may squeeze a bit more in!]
We are def planning to have a no-school/housewarming next summer term start for SB, as that is her ‘official’

Today she has done a lovely painting at nursery and brought it back. We did more brio-alike [well tescos!] making up stories. She still insists the name is Hemery and Hemerietta though. While doing this BB fed for England [thank god, as so engorged could have knocked holes in concrete as no time to express at work today].

Chris found a cricket in the kitchen so we had a look at that, and then it jumpd all over the place before caught and shown the door!

Nice ‘Ken Hom’ made by chris for tea - though he needs to improve at stringing runners - while Sb counted mouthfuls in German. We also looked at a Marshalls veg catalogue to decide what to grow, and although she was haywire with page 50, she spotted 66 and 67 instantly - wierd]. some addition and subtraction went on as well.

me and SB did her phonics on the leappad. I got a box set of 10 phonics books with a multicartridge from american ebay and its brill. I had worried about the american accent, but SB either ignores or laughs as she repeats words such as fragile. of course being SB, we are not actually doing them in logical progression, so did book 10 - compound words! however, she is realising -gradually- that if she thinks about the letters she can read the simple words. Obviously she prefers wild guessing most of the time!

BB def 4 teeth now - ouch.

anyway, back to yesterday…..

Had another visit from the Patch of Puddles which was lovely. Though sadly Fran was not feeling very well and spent most of the time sitting, lying quietly which was a shame. But the rest of them all had a good time. This is a great house for having visitors, plenty of space inside and out for the kids to run about and play, plenty of space in side and out for the adults to sit and chat, drink tea, eat etc. Day was lovley and hot and sunny, autumn will soon be on it’s way, so need to make the best of these.

I was out getting supplies when they arrived, apparently there was an odd little time on first arrival as Stringbean and the puddlers settled in with each other -SB not wanting to join in and play with them, which happened before, resolved by bringing out some new bits of Brio type train track . Not sure wat that is about exactly but by the time I arrived they were off and playing., flitted in and out of the house, playing upstairs, on the climbing frame, riding scooter, bikes etc. Didn’t really notice exactly what they were doing but they all seemed to be happy most of the time. Evidence of playing with old Cindy dolls on the landing, snippets of the typical ‘Do you want to be the baby, I’ll be mummy’ type conversations, and lost of running around, clambering about, whilst adults chatted and gossiped.

Had nice lunch, cooked the kids some pasta - mostly becuase we know they will all eat it, and it’s quick,. Served it to them on a table down the end of the garden well out of earshot Then did a pitta bread, hoummus, olives, salad, corn-on-cob type thing for the adults, plus the kids to eat bits of as they saw fit Sat muncing on this under the gazebo on the lawn whilst children swirled around us back and forth.

It’s great watching them all playing together, SB and Maddy in particular seem to get on well (nearest in ages of course). BB and Josie did the sitting, squirming (BB) and crawling (Josie) baby thing happily all day. We do feel that SB maybe misses out on playing with other kids a bit. In Leeds she had a circle of he friends from Helen’s ante-natal group that often met up most weeks,and tots club (with many of the same) etc.. We’ve not really managed to make any suitable contacts yet in the village, we did attend a few group things in the village, but moslty it was younger kids attending (not that SB seemed to mind), presumably the older ones were at nursey, playgroup etc. and of course lots will be going to school very soon. She doesn’t seem obviosluly bothered by this, but maybe she is too young to think about it. But she does love children visiting her,and when we go to the playground, she always likes it when ther are other cildren around who she can play with. And as a dad (since I’ve done most of it of course), it does seem a bit harder to link into the mum’s network sort of thing that groows aup aroubnd the variosu baby/toddler activities.We’ll see how things go I guess.

Anyway, we all decided to try and make the effort to get togther a bit more often. Will hopefully make the Peterborough Puddlers meeting on Friday

I would include some piccies , but of course H has gobbled up our flickr upload allowance for this month. So it will have to wait until tomorrow. She has only got a slighty twitchy mouse finger….

helen edit: it was a lovely day - sorry if i seemed vague at times, but getting too old for 24 hour shifts. SB had bee really excited by puddlers coming, but also very clingy when I got home - she really hates my 24 hour shifts, and wants to do everything with me the next day, which is lovely but I’m usually knackered.

Massive storm - so migraine eased off, but still very muggy. really lovely and long phone call from a uni mate of mine, who we are also meeting up with next week. She is SB and BB’s godmother.