Author Archives: HHaricot

forgot to say what SB made us both for xmas

for me – some beeswax candles
my present from SB

and for chris a remote control holder – yes she sewed this!

his present from sb

feels like last day of freedom

back properly at work tomorrow.

SO I got up relatively early, so I could go to # clinic with mum, to find that they had gone exceptionally early and were through and didn’t ring. I guess because it all seems OK. They are happy with the position and everything. Mum and Little Nanny have laryngitis though, and not too well, and their NYE spent worrying over my sisters breast lump – clinic for her on Mon, fingers firmly in crossed position.

So the girls and I carried on with a great wodge of crafts. BBhas now finished all the spoons, SB has painted all the fairies, and has now done the plaster of paris moulds that may get painted tomorrow [dependent on amounts of snow to play in]

We were prepared enough to put some tomato soup in a flask and whisk out for our monthly walk with Michelle and Chloe, which we had when we arrived. It was COLD. Michelle told me off for whinging!! SB and chloe are supposed to take pictures of whatever they were interested in. They did both take piccies, but SB gradually lost heart due to the coldness of her fingers. We did a dif walk this time to the formal gardens, and will flickr. Again BB was totally adorable – and has remained so at home. At present she is cooking for me [having slept in the car home she is beanying about!] A lovely time was had, and I am looking forward to these monthly walks. next time the quarry again.

We played with the RSPB welcome packs when we got home. lots of reading and discussion. we watched ballet shoes, which we all enjoyed.

That was rather lovely

for the second year running we have had the patch of puddles in their entirety over for new year. It was lovely and relaxing having them all here. Thanks v much for coming.

The girls all played together beautifully, ignoring all age differences. It is lovely to see BB and Josie playing together so well. BB, btw, was an adorable angel, and I think Merry thinks I am making it all up. whilst on that subject, BB is challenging to parent because you have to get your wording just right first time. she is an obligate taking-children-seriously child. we have been always on the taking-children-reasonably-seriously-as-long-as-it-is-possible stance, but for her there is no nonsense and she takes no prisoners. If we have had enough sleep and on the ball, it is no problem. It does, however, make it difficult to find the right path to ameliorate undesirable behaviour. [how truby does that sound???][hope you all know what i mean?]

Anywy, before I completely lost the thread, where was I? Oh yes, new years eve. the merry crew were subjected to fireworks, toasted marshmallows, and the older members had lots of baileys and conversation.  tea for midnight. next year will make bellinis! Very nice and chilled NYE. Hoping for a nice and chilled 2008

we had pancakes again for brunch – loads of them! girls played lots more and watched a fair bit of magic school bus. On leaving, BB did some more of her spoons craft [realy fab] and started baggying again. SB did lots of webland. played various games with Daddy. Early nights all round I think

So, Happy New Year

So this is why jax cut her hair

IMG_2648

my favourite christmas photo

E got a lazytown 'walkman'

there were quite a few others I liked, but this was an off the cuff not looking through the view finder happy success one.

good bedtime reading choice SB

DK’s bermuda triangle and invaders from outer space. just been down wailing. not an early night then!!

hmm, second manic crafts day

with less bagginess – well for a bit, though at one point I thought chris had put BB in the cellar, and in another bit, when I said that if she continued to sprinkle playdough all over floor and not put it away, she carried a wodge of it directly to the bin and said I could throw it all away :roll: . On the whole I have tried fr a non confrontational approach in the hopes that if she doesn’t see an opening to be dogmatic, obnoxious and stubborn, then the day may pass more easily. Hmmm

Anyway, today SB did some more of her fairy stamping kit, she has got more and more careful with painting, and is taking great care. BB did 2 of her ELC make puppet spoons kit, which she and I really enjoyed together . We all spent a while playing various games. BB and I were dinosaur and monster whilst SB on ‘puter doing DK first science explorer. BB did some playdoughing whilst SB did piano practice with me. [me giving SB attention was not well received]

They both watched some magic school house when I needed a few minutes of decreased interaction. the water cycle and bee ones. SB played with her lego. Erm, i flickred. You know, the day seemed much busier than that. funny hey?

Sb has read all the amelia earhart book, lost the first 4 magic tree house books and is reading holly the christmas fairy. we also practiced the odd bit of spelling – she needed to write the words, and I got her to guess before helping her out.

Back at work tomorrow. Sigh, I have been putting off a whole heap of worries there.

where to start

I think I will go backwards, but fiddle with the time stamp thing to appear in order – very important!

I think, crucially, I need to say that BB is driving me round the bend. i think its partly because she didn’t get enough attention over Xmas, with Chris and I so busy, and now we are both knackered. But, if she tells me anything else is baggy poo poo I think I will just scream. today she has had playdough thrown away, and the didicar put in the cellar, after hours of provocation. She throws things, screams, hits us and SB and just shouts what are for her obscenities. I have tried so hard today to do wall to wall attention. Am imagining it will take a while of hard parental work to get back on track. She has always been ‘challenging’ to parent – primarily due to her desire to bully SB – but recently – aarrrgh. Of course, when she is good she is totally adorable. Mum think she prob just needs a higher level of stimulation. Deep breath.

So, today. BB and I started off with making her father christmas present reindeer fridge magnet. We then went on to painting the plaster of paris people we made yesterday [yep. will do yesterday!] Sb did some lego building with dad, and then some painting with one of her kits with me whilst BB did playdough. I then did a fair amount of legoing with SB, playing farm animals with BB. SB aso painted her suncatcher and read the whole of her childs bible. BB also did som katamino [a real hit] chalk pictures, apple tre farm reading.

We had a major tantrum from BB about some castle characters that arrived from ebay. I was goin to give them as a 12th night present, but she was wailing and wobbling over the unopened parcel she had seen, so I relented, and pointed it was to share with SB. After all the following wailing and screaming over the knights horses she did, it is lucky that all the castle stuff isn’t also in the cellar. I regained some equanimity by flickring and scrabulous, parking BB in front of NEMO. Chris and BB did more lego – it is now finished. BB and I made up, had the girls bathed and an early bedtime. Sb and I read about amelia earhart, inventing flying machines, and a bit about piston engines. We also practiced our Latin.
Chris and I should get an early night too so that we can be better parents tomorrow.

Friday

Mum, Dad and Little Nanny left on friday, leaving us all feeling rather flat. still knackered! I had a particularly poor day as BB had been a nightmare all night, so i had left chris to sleep in the bedroom, and kept BB company.

We did still manage to do some of the xmas crafts – painting the farm plaster animals and making the farmer and wife with BB, bith using their crayons and paints and playdough from a craft set. SB did lots of legoing, and reading of Xmas books. She got 3 Katie and the... books, and also read through all the anholt art books too.

We got Nanny McPhee as a christmas present for the girls. BB wildly ignoring it, though enjoying the colours, and chatting away as we did katamino – a def present hit! Sb seemed totally lost by the plot. we will have to watch it again. I rather enjoyed it. Would love to have their house and decor!

Advice wanted please

SB has admitted that the thing she REALLY wanted for Xmas was inline skates. they had been one of the many things mentioned, but not in a big way, and she is very happy with all her presents. For her birthday we are getting her a bike, but she wanted to see if other rellies would share the purchase of inline skates as they seem to be fairly expensive. We have had the discussion on where exactly would she use them…
SO… Have any of you got inline skates, or know of anyone that has that has an opinion on them?

I was looking at this shop and thinking perhaps the bronx adjustable ones looked comfortableish and adjustable etc etc? hmm, these comet ones perhaps also OK?
Any advice greatfully received