Everyday things

There will be some changes to the blog as soon as I get a minute to move it. The new *improved* editor on blogger has made it twice as difficult for me to do anything and so has nudged me to move the blog to another host - something I've been thinking about for a while anyway. Any recommendations welcome but I think it will be Typepad otherwise. 

Anyway enough of my frustrations with the technicalities... 

Her ladyship is into everything and is so distracted she's not sleeping or feeding well in the daytime which is leading to frustrations all round. She's very cute though.

When I finally did get her down for a nap today it meant I got some quality floor time with the boy. Whilst he played with his kitchen and served me up a variety of interesting foods I sewed press studs onto bibs and of course being 3 he then wanted to do what I was doing. So needle in hand and he had his first go at sewing. 

He's really more interested in thread though - he'd happily unwind a whole reel given the chance. 

He then found my seam ripper and tried to use it like a screwdriver. I've had so many of them broken that I thought it better to give him the real thing and so he then spent a happy half hour taking his chair apart. He wasn't as keen to put it back together but when I put the screws in for him he then tightened them all up again very well. 

And then he wanted to paint.... himself mostly.

I tried another no knead bread recipe today. I love the artisan breads but you need to plan ahead with them whereas this was a quick make and was very yummy.  I used 3 cups of malted flour and one of white bread flour.

Mess & messing about

I had forgotten just how messy baby led weaning can be.... luckily we have the dog on hand to clear up most of the mess but there are times when we need another dog to clean up the bear (he got fruit puree all down his back this afternoon after camping out under the high chair). 

The park is full of squirrels running around trying to collect food for the winter. There was one hauling a half empty packet of biscuits across the path this afternoon. Most are running off with beech nuts and the like. The leaves on the trees are turning and the park is very definitely putting on its autumn face. I'm not a fan of the winter and much prefer the long days of summer (and warmth!) but even I can appreciate this change of season and find magic in it. 

The climbing tree still has its cloak of leaves on. I can remember having to help Isaac up the first bit and then needing to be on hand to help him move from branch to branch. He needs no help now. The boy is growing. 

Rainy day

It's really been feeling autumnal these last few days. The leaves are starting to fall off the trees and it's been rainy and windy on and off. 

We had a little visitor in the garden yesterday. There was a pond next door that used to have lots of frog spawn every year so I know there are frogs around but it's rare for us to see them. I have my suspicions that this was a toad though - my mum will let me know...

The conkers in the park are usually devoured by the children on the way to and from school so it's rare to get a good haul but as it was so windy yesterday we got them fresh off the tree (and one passing pedestrian got hit by a falling conker). I don't know who was more excited me or Isaac. The boy needs bigger pocket - giving them to me to put in mine just didn't cut it but he got very frustrated that they kepy falling out of his. 

I love our park. When the play bit was redone last year they put some huge rocks in there and Isaac loves jumping off them.

He also spends a lot of time just picking up sticks and other natural bits. I love that he isn't reliant just on the play equipment.

Now he's 3 a lot of his friends are going to preschool. We're going to home educate and so I don't see the point of putting him in preschool but I have been making an effort to go to the local toddler group. I'm not sure how successful it is though - we all get a bit stressed getting out the door to get there mostly on time (I don't mind if we're late but there comes a point where it's not worth going). It seems counter-intuitive to stop him mid game at home so that we can go and play somewhere else. He loves the singing at the end but and he likes the different toys (well mostly he likes the 8 Thomas the Tank engines that there are and hoards them so no one else can play with them). He did play with some play doh yesterday but just as he was getting into it it was time to stop. And then the most fun was had going to the park afterwards. I don't know, I don't know whether I'm taking him to the group because I feel I ought to or because it's actually a good idea. (I've had a long hard week this week with very little sleep and could have done without having to make small talk with people I don't really know so I don't know if that's colouring my view.)


Anyway it's about the only time he goes in the buggy and I actually get to look at his face - he's usually moving around too much for me to get a good look at him otherwise (we have a parent facing buggy).

Garden fun

They have improved the editing package on Blogger & so I now have no clue how to work it... Whilst I get used to the new technology here's how we unwound after a busy day of friends visiting (warning contains spider picture).

The dog has a new best friend

He's putting up with the tail pulling and the invasion of his space now that she's starting to be mobile - he may have ulterior motives though...

6 months

Fewer than 1% of babies in the UK are exclusively breastfed at 6 months despite WHO and DoH recommendations. Isabel is one of them. She looks ok to me ;~)

Forward momentum

A journey to the centre of the earth

Well into London anyway... the boy & his dad went adventuring on a convoluted journey to go and see Granny in hospital. He looks like little boy lost here but was running around most of the time loving the platforms and just needed a quiet minute.

Just hangin' around

I'm not getting much sleep at the moment - neither of my children sleep through and most of the time I can function just fine on broken sleep but there are times when I get woken from deep sleep and feel groggy all day or just between them they manage to wake me up too often or keep me up too late. So today was a quiet day. Isaac did some sticking and some painting.

I was a bit sad that he did two paintings this morning and then put one on top of the other and because we were just using cheap paper they then stuck together so that the bottom picture now has bits stuck to it. I was annoyed because I like that picture. It appeals to me as an adult and I would like to preserve it as it was painted and maybe display it. I have designated it a 'good' painting in my mind. I have to remind myself though that for him it's all about the process and not about the end result. Whilst he is very adamant when he's finished a painting he rarely goes back to look at them again (and we have a lot on display so he can see them). The process is what counts when you're 3.

We played with a balloon in the hall for a very long time (we're getting new neighbours this weekend so raucous games in the hall may have to be curtailed)

He needed a little lie down after a while...

Conkers

It really feels like autumn now. The leaves are starting to turn and it's been a very windy day today and we found our first ripe conkers (I found one a few weeks ago but it was still green inside). They're such a satisfying thing for children of all ages - the prickly outer case gives a sense of danger and then the shiny polished conker within is such a joy to look at and to hold. Isaac doesn't yet have the thrill of conkers to add to the joy yet but instead they head the way of all small boy's treasures, into the pocket. They have since been driven around the house in landrovers, trailers and are currently on the floor adding to the trip hazards.

The bike helmet is kept on during the whole trip out and there are times when it gives a little parental comfort to know that he's wearing it...

But at other times it gives a glimpse of the adventurer he may become and I have to try hard not to worry about him climbing higher frames and swinging off bigger ropes.

My plan when I was pregnant was that I wouldn't need to use the buggy but would sling Isabel. I like the freedom of being hands free and not having to push a buggy around. The c-section and a heavy baby though have meant my buggy free plans have taken a little longer to come about. The buggy is still handy for dumping things in and if Isaac isn't on his bike he sometimes wants to go in it on the way home so it has its uses. But in the last week or so I've been going out without the buggy and enjoying the snuggly feeling of a sleeping girl on my back whilst I push a swing or hold a rope.

Isaac spent most of today's trip to the park singing the alphabet song. He traced the letters on the slide singing it too. We're a long way from reading yet and I'm in no hurry but it's lovely seeing him make the connection that letter shapes are something to do with letter sounds.

He keeps demanding he has the camera and the runs off and takes pictures of random bits of ground etc. He wanted to take a photo of his sister today though.

And then he handed the camera back and told me to take a photo of him and to tell him to smile.

He's spending a lot of time watching DVDs and CBeebies on the iPlayer at the moment but I'm trying not to push it and offering alternatives. After his nap today (hurray he had a nap - it's a bit hit and miss at the moment and the days he doesn't have one feel very very long) he said he wanted to do some painting and then painting turned into cutting and some sticking. One of the things he's been watching on the iPlayer is Mister Maker so I guess all that screen time isn't wasted (although I'd be happier if he didn't start talking about gloopy glue and things that Mister Maker say).