Category Archives: socialisation

Blogbumping indeed!!




IMG_6423

Originally uploaded by Scrumbledelicious.

Still think a terrible word for it.
Will blog properly when beans in bed, but have flikred Merry!

Day 2 of BB’s Baby Welcome

Weather not so good for us today, so predominantly indoors. I was more stressy today – not sure why, as no less relaxing a set up, and I’d made the pasta bake on friday?? Prob. due to a couple of comments that set teeth on edge. [must learn to ignore for own sanity!]

Anyway, predominantly lovely day. SB had a bit of a melt when Morgan left to go home, but a long cuddle and reading new books helped [did I say I caved in to amazon and bought the barefoot book of princesses [with CD] and the usbourne stories from around the world?. Very nice. I particularly love the illustrations of the barefoot princesses book.

Guests today, as well as mine and Chris’s parents and my sister and family where my aunty margaret [mum's sister] uncle mike and cousin mark, and on Chris’s side, Uncle Bob [dad's brother] and cousin Marilyn.

I hope you all can identify the whose who and trace family resemblances.

Cats enjoyed leftover salmon.

Earlier in the morning, before the guests arrived, SB and Morgan were playing schools, doing sums and letters. Rather cute really.

Wish BB’s teeth would come in so I could get a nice sleep!

Anyway, flikr will be linked here.

Quick Blog – BB party *NOW EDITED*

will do a proper update, as yesterday great, and about to do it again, but for yesterday’s guests, as well as the Blogworld, have uploaded far to many photos of a perfect day onto flikr

It was a rather lovely day. Mine and Chris’s parents arrived Fri night, we finished as much prep as poss and had a takeaway. BB woke up, and I went to comfort her and fell asleep. I think most people went to bed soon after. Terrible night with BB, perhaps because she is teething? [please hope so, cos too many of these appalling nights will see me change her to formula

Next day my sister and family arrived fairly early, and the party began! Its so nice to see SB playing with her cousins, particularly M as they are of simialr age. E gettting the hang of playing too. The nibbles and alcohol were cracked open. Aunty Jane and Uncle Dave [dad's brother] made it next, and the huge wait for Aunty Pam and Uncel Robert [chris's mum's brother] their children Adrian and Catherine and their respective partners [SB was Catherine and Tim's bridesmaid in April]

Finally food!! The weather was glorious, the children played beautifully and the adults drank and conversed. Unfortunately Vivien fell of the path, and visions of yet another trip to the local casualty passed before my eyes. Luckilly strong painkillers and she was OK.

BB had some lovely presents, and sat on a rug in the middle like a Queen holding court, with plenty of cuddles in between. Def worth doing.

I bathed SB and M together – and allowed the jacuzzi. M thought it brill. I then settled them for bed by playing chase and monsters around the upstairs! OOPS. By 10pm they finally dropped though – shortly followed by the rest of us.

Mediaeval Fayre

not called in overnight – always a result!

so stagecoach in the morning for SB – last in the term. I think these have been a success, so we will carry on. i do think they are expensive for what they are, but at this stage of the game, its more important to provide SB with pattern. She loved the fact that they sang doe a deer to the video with actions, and that she already knew the words.

We then took a picnic to the animal shelter in godmanchester that was hosting a mediaeval fayre. I was surprised at how empty the place was, and I think it would have been much better if bustling, so that SB could have watched people using the archery/crossbow and jousting stuff. She was just that little bit too young, but next year….

Anyway, she enjoyed the axe throwing competition – but really wanted a go! And found a playmate to play knights and princesses with [i made up a story whilst feeding BB. He was such a nice lad that he immediately gave her his new sword and shield to use while he played with a bigger one! The re-enactment of one of the roses skirmishes was good. no gunpowder due to animals close by. SB very hot, so I amused others by dribbling water down her back and into her hat. [many photos on flikr]

At home we read the ancient egypt dorling kindersley eyewitness and looked at joe the dragon again – SB good at adding [not carrying over] and also like the chinese numbers – I think that might be new. We also did a it more castles at bedtime. I am getting her to spell out headings and have a guess at blending and making words, think this may be successful, as if thinking about it, she can do it. of course postman [as in pat] does not come out quite right, but she did realise what it was meant to be.

Nearly organised the books, but Chris has vetoed stickering for now. Sonlight order will prob go in tomorrow. Thinking about those plug and play electronics things – brainbox whatever. Sarah, are you still being a facilitator for edu toys or should I buy direct?? Looking forward to my lovely books!!! [and no, have not got harry potter, but if anyone does buy 2, i would consider coming to a deal, else tescos next week!]

sunny day

And so it needed to be, as first opportunity to play with SB for me since I left Kessie. only got home from work at half 10 and ravenous, but after that went for quality SB time, as get more interaction with BB in the evenings.

Started with playing all together, with me n SB stacking up cups for BB to knock down, and putting toys in them for her to find. BB is such a sweetheart, and her face is all aglow with excitement in these combined games with SB, who it is quite clear she hero worships. [what a long sentence]

BB carried on while SB and I started doing some hama aboriginal dreamtime style piccies. Actually SB not bad, though attention span compromised, so moved on to playing copy each others patterns and sorting out the colours. Particularly including counting, adding and spatial relationship skills. Kept us both happy!

we spent alot of the afternoon playing in the sandpit, burying our dinosaur fossil and then hiding it around the garden.
Sb also put on shows for us to watch. We then dug up potatoes and picked broad beans for tea, but actually had pasta – LOL. Oh well, there for tomorrow. Unfortunately the potato tops have blight, and the whole veg patch weed city. Not done a good job.

Actually whilst on house update, roof leaking, bath taps dodgy, showers not working, 100 year old grapevine dying etc etc. sigh massively!

After tea we read the 10p book from the hospital friends stall on rivers and water. very nice. It also had a picture off newt eggs on oxygenator plants. we of course know that now from last years experiment of what are these eggs, and what will they become [well 2 goldfish and 2 newts].

BB hasn’t been ignored, and has been doing lots of standing practice and manipulating objects. also some tummy shuffling. She is such a bundle of happiness. 3rd tooth nearly through.

little nanny walking with special zimmer, and the girls visited her for a long time yesterday – did nanny the power of good I think. the other ladies also cooed over my girls. SB took in the usbourne pocket science book of why we are ill for little nanny, so she would understand 0 bless. other ed moment sith chris [in case he doesn't blog] were stagecoach yesterday final rehearsal, and my fav, SB asking if the world slowed down spinning in summer so the days were longer. we need a globe I think!

I really would like to organise and arrange our home ed better again [still autonomous, but with the ideas etc ready] however, with the house in chaos and me always at work, I am worried that we are never going to do it as we would like. Early days yet I guess.

oh, and Chris P, 2 ways to my heart, food and calling my child gorgeous! Thankyou.

Kessie photos

You can see a not very select selection of photos from Kessingland here.

Some could do with tweaking etc. but if I wait till I’ve done that the moment will be past.

PS shout if you want one removed

Kessie Brain Dump Post – We Loved It!

Guess I should say something about the week then! Here it is in brain dump mode.

Since I was working, I was only there sat, sun, mon and wed, so chris will have to fill in the rest!

Lowlights ? chris forgetting the tentpoles!!!!; going back to work; BB having a feeding frenzy all one night

Highlights ? meeting lots of people both met before at Melrose, and new; watching how well all the children got on [SB in her element]; basket weaving.

Anyway Alison saved the day with her khyam, so we had somewhere to sleep the first night ? also meant that Chris put up communal tent. Next day he went home at crack of dawn ? lucky not to be thought an intruder by my golfclub wielding dad ? and returned with our little tent. As I was still sulking, he made a good attempt to put it up on his own, though I think Jax and Tim may have taken pity on him and helped a bit!

Sunday was also sunburn day ? Nic had a particularly fetching fingerprint pattern up her arm. Caused by finding the sun tipping the yard arm fairly early and a drinks session in the afternoon. Not just Nic ? I hasten to add! Layla and I decided we had pitched the tents well, as the area in front of our tents turned out to be the communal gathering, pull up a chair kind of area, so without even trying we were very sociable.

On the communal front, ?the other chris? was far more sociable than I had been led to believe. I really enjoyed meeting people [so far more confident ? yes, ok noisy, strident and opinionated ? than at Melrose], chatting away about this and that.

The children played well together, with minimal tantrums. Though SB did bite someone [again sorry]. She really isn?t a biter [or even hitter/fighter] and spent the next 30 mins sobbing in my arms about it. The like a bike type thing from Lidl that we took was enjoyed by most of the children was purchased by other parents after seeing how much fun it was ? so def a Jax started craze!

Also purchased from lidl were 2 sun gazebos to stop further burning by simon. Unfortunately they were child sized~!! [he coped admirably with the teasing] Chris went to homebase for the real thing ? though the kiddies was cuter.

We did no sparky clubbing until the last day, and SB was blissfully unaware of existence. We did go swimming, join in the communal activities, but really left her and the socialisation to its own devices.

BB and the other babies played together in sun cabanas. Mexican waving at each other and eating each other?s toys. They are all of a similar size, so looked v cute.

For me the weather was no prob [though had hideous drive home], a duvet made the bed warm [and BB as the hot water bottle]. I find storms quite relaxing really.

So all in all, really wonderful. Thankyou Merry for organising.
Pictures to follow at some point!

Another home ed day captured

After the last day, I thought every so often I would capture a day in photos again, fairly randomly every once in a while to see what happens.

Today started with me making maggie and the ferocious beast stories up in our bed,, until my obvious sleepiness and halfheartedness persuaded SB to get up! She the started making her fairy garden with daddy – its an M and S kit, with marigolds and cornflowers, and some cut out fairies and a castle.

next was stage coach, where they are practising zippedeedoodah and summer holiday and sun has got its hat on for the end of term concert. SB has decided she definitely likes stagecoach, so thats good. Next sept she will go to ballet in the village as well.

On her return we finished the fairy garden, and put it in a heated propagator to get it off to a good start in the conservatory. While there we heard a live brass band, and remembered it was the float procession through the village today, so SB and I nipped out to the village centre to watch the floats and listen to the band.

Lunch was a pittapocket picnic on the lawn. very nice, and BB woke up, so had her puree on the lawn as well. Unfortunately, being nap free she also pooped on the lawn – sigh!

SB then played on her bike, my hammock and the climbing frame before settling down to pasticine and the monster stick in bits. however, when I brought a bowl of water and some plastic toys for BB to play with, this seemed much more fun, so she got her own bowl to do some more float/sink experiments. BB continued playing with the water all afternoon [with some snacking!]

When SB was starting to be a bit more adventurous with the water [over BB] I got out the paints and paper, and we cut out some stamps from sponges and did stamp picutres – very nice! even an alien world with two huge red suns. So I think we’ve caught up a bit on the craft front.

Before dinner she got out the cuisinaire rods and made patterns with them, and discussed with me the different steps you could make, and which ones to put together to make same lengths. She hasn’t assigned numbers to them. We then did some complicated game she made up, with looking at the phonics flashcard with her bouncing on the spacehopper, and me kicking a ball to her that she had to catch in a cup – a la mouse trap! She read out cat and knew it was cat. was really pleased when she red out fox and knew it was fox, until she admitted she had seen a flash of the back! She went off to teach daddy them with dinner.

After bath she got out her leappad and did the mother goose music one, and the richard scarry one. Both her and BB dancing to the music, with me and SB also singing. Bedtime stories, and the end of the day.

BB mostly investigated grass, a few toys, wriggling around and water today, with a bit of da teh and ra practice and lots of feeding. A bit of dancing, throwing about and general larking about~!

Weather was hot – luckilly a fair bit of shade in garden. We had a lovely day. I have got a box for chris for next week with some maths, some phonics and early readers, bit on the body, bit on people/religion, bit on garden wildlife and bugs so that should fit emergency ideas!

photos will be added to this a bit later.

Added by Chris

SB was having boiled egg for tea. ‘So what is egg yolk made from?’

‘Um, well…’ couldn’t think really of any sensible terms to use for 4 year old, so deflected the question by talking about what it is used for instead.

Reach for the stars, follow your hearts desire

thankyou S Club. but getting today backwards.

warning – there are 4 posts in total from today, so far! This one on today, a hols summary, a technical help and a bit of fun!

Stagecoach today, and usual pallaverings about going – well it is v expensive! Anyway SB decided she would go, as cheered by thought would oneday get to be in real show! When we got there she was uncertain of me leaving, but I stood with her in the registration queue, aand when she went through, she forgot to get me t come with her. As promised I sat with BB outside on a wall reading my mum’s hols book [link to follow when find it to get title!]. Anyway about a woman going back to work after 7 years childcare, reluctantly as husband fired and wants to write screenplay. kept a sneaky peak at SB doing her zip-a-dee-doo-dah song and summer holiday dance. She tried v hard this week – and the teacher told me on packing up it was the best of the term, so much fuss made of her.

On the way home we played spot the crop, and the uses – mosly wheat and oilseed rape, but did have a field of broad beans and a PYO strawbs. SB decided to PYO with Chris next week, and then make jam with me.

SB went with Chris to buy lunch [soup and bread] as this encouraging practical numeracy in action!!. We were all ravenous. BB eating well now – red pepper and french bean puree with EBM rice pud after.

A walk around the garden today shows a weed infested jungle – we need to have a major weeding fest. Anyone up for a pick buckets of weeds and get plied with alcohol holiday at ours?? I’m thinking of the jan’s field option for ourselves. Anyway, as well as rampant weeds, we do have rampant crops – particularly grapes and figs coming along nicely – yummy!!

When we had come home last night, we had found a booklet of the village festival – this week. today was a party for 4-9 year olds, so took SB, and she had a great time. Got to eye up girls of own age in village [as meet would be too strong a word!] The lady doing the party does this for a living – and also the singing session. she was very good and i was impressed. BB also enjoyed it. Anyway, the S-Club song was from there.

digression alert! When SB was 6 months we had this as her ‘theme tune’ and danced her to it – mainly i suspect so chris could nearly dislocate shoulders at the ‘reach’ bit.. Anyway, listening to the lyrics, and doing the dance to an appreciative BB, I realised that, athough a bit saccharine, it was a fairly good theme tune still. [rider - remember I'm a classic fm girl]

I also enjoyed seeing SB dancing to hey baby as per baby disco. She had a great time anyway, and we both did our best to look sociable fitter inners rather than the weirdos we are. well wht spoil the surprise! It was suggested we enter BB into bonny baby comp- hmm!!!

enjoyed reading usbournes around the world junior puzzle book together. SB liked the pictures and looking at what was different in the places. Think next time I should be more organised and have the atlas at the ready or a globe [as yet to buy] so can put a bit of where in the world – ah here to it! She likes it when I’ve been to places as well – so if i was one of the more organised people on this blogring, I could have had my holiday snaps of india, malaysia and australia to hand. hmm!! maybe som unobtrusive follow up. Mind you, if weather with us, tomorrow a bit more of village festival, some seed sowing, potting up peppers and planting out sweetcorn in order. none of french beans or courgettes germinated – really weird!

Tea of pittas with felafal, feta cheese, tomatos, lettuce and cucumber. we also had chilli jam, and SB olive paste and balsamic vinegar. I do like it that she eats adult food, and has an appreciation of it. She enjoys stuffing the pockets with her choice of ingredients, and it makes out lives easy. Washed down with ‘dizzy’ water for her, and limoncino for us – nice! Realised 8 o clock, so a hasty bedtime. BB now also sleeping after good feed. We of courswe have a thousand things to do, so I’m blogging, and chris is trying to sort out old desktop which keeps crashing – new one awaited!

Still denied access to a number of ring sites, so if you have any dramatic announcements, let me know!! oh, and who amongst you are gravatar enabled?

La dolce vita

we have had a great holiday. the campsite is in a super league. pitches gorgeous, shady and sheltered – such that the night of high wind barely affected tent. we like our vango nightstop dome [venture 500 i think??]. Beach huge, sandy, dunes and shells. gently sloping into sea [warm] with a sandbar. Ideal, i think so! As if not enough, also 2 pool complexes, the nearest to us with a ring pool – with current to get you around it in the rings – SB v keen!] 2 round pools with jets and jacuzzi effect, large gentle sloping tots to toddler pool with slides and waterfall, and a lap pool for the straight swimmers! The further away one had landscaped sandy [read small gravel!] beaches, a samller ring pool, a jaccuzy like bit, and a water volcano, different depth areas in a big water complex joined with small slides, and a climbing frame with lots of water slides off it. A wooded area with swing/playpark etc.|Very nice too! 5 restaurants, 2 beach bar/grills, 3 other bar/grills, 2 supermarkets, baker,grocer, pizza takeaway, creperie, gelateria, hairdresser, numerous buying things shops so no real reason to leave – except venice! If you wanted it, there is kids activites in the days 2 hours am and pm, so you candrop them off, sports such as golf etc in complex across road, and a spa thing with thermal thises and thats.

my parents and sister and family were already there [hired caravan each] and we ad an easy journey out with SB and BB being well behaved on flights and transit. Having dad meet us at marco polo airport did make whole thing more civilised! Unfortunately, heavy hints on others putting up tent were disregarded, but they did save good pitch! SB and cousin M have great times together, and were off playing in sand and dirt immediately. my niece E had decided she didn’t like heat, sand or water, so sister Vivien rather stressed! Weather good, apart fro 2 days

the days activities: we ate croissants and rolls at breakfast fresh from bakers at tent, wandered over to the caravans to go to beach/pool, back for lunch – roll, cheese, salad and wine usually prepared by mum. then pool in the afternoon. a takeaway or restaurant usual for tea – though I cooked 3 times in a fortnight as did my mum. baby disco in the evening, and a night train ride. Baby disco was a bit of a hoot, with the under 12′s – on the whole much younger – dancing eurobop routines with the childrens camp people showing them how at the front. Very good for counting to 8 in german, as this was often done over the words! SB had some favourite bits. The night train wandered around the campsite in the evening with little ones on board shouting something untranslatable in german, and slapping hands of passers by.

bits that stand out -

me not gauging depth of one pool and stepping off side with B in arms, and holding her over head as I go under – she didn’t get wet, dad prepared to dive in hasselhof style, but relieved I didn’t need it. Jarred ankle badly, and scraped other foot [still painful] but BB unruffled!

BB learning to ROLL OVER!! fanfare for that one

SB asking for icecreams in italian and saying please and thankyou nicely.

SB just generally being happy and having fun. Playing with german girls in tent nearbye, even though minimal crossover of language, with no problems.

lazydays and evenings. I went to this campsite every other year for about 10 years, so it was actually quite a sentimental return for me!

venice was gorgeous – I have been lots before, but first for chrsi and girls. SB particularly wanted to go in the church, so duly done, where she was very impressed by it all. chris took her up to top, where she noticed the horses were boys! Gondolas, canals, bridges and the rialto ummed and ahhed over. icecreams consumed! SB was knackered by end, so good old bushbaby backpack!

HE on the hoof: We read usborne pocket science books, painted, dot the dotted, counted, and spoke italian and german. discussed weather, stars, vision [spontaneously SB came out with the fact that our eyes 'see' upside down]. lots of dinosaur hunting for fossils in the dirt and sand. A bit of ‘gunning’ as playing with a boy – hmm!! lots of singing and SB dancing. she even managed to swim some strokes before sinking by end of hols.

will prob add more including piccies given time. would recommend though!