Hunting for rabbits

Being a rare occasion to see sunshine on three consecutive days over a bank holiday weekend, we headed straight off after breakfast to make the most of the brilliant blue skies for a day out at Clumber Park. A little tired, Grace spent much of the walk glued to Daddy's shoulders or hip although when she did cut the ties and run, she had a ball tearing around in the woodland and heath. Notching up a catalogue of cuts and bruises on the uneven ground, she demonstrated her stealth and carried on regardless, Mummy's little soldier. Highlights for Grace were on three levels... standing on a tree stump, sitting in a rabbit hole and devouring a simply massive 99 at the ice-cream van half way round. I wish all days were like these!

Grace - amazed at finding a tree stump!



99 heaven



A quiet moment, deep in thought, sat in a rabbit hole

Daisy-woof at Clumber Park

Grace and me

Silent Sunday

Taking a breather at Temple Newsam

Happy to be out with Uncle Frank in the woods

On first (and second) name terms

 

At a time when Grace starts to show form in her artwork, where her random scribbles begin to resemble a cat (with 'blue circles for the eyes' as she merrily reminds me), I notice a change of affection in the friends that she keeps. For a while at nursery she's been joined at the hip to a little boy called Jack, similar age, similar amount of dribble and tantrums. It's a good match. What was an innocent friendship has blossomed into kinship, with Grace becoming coy and hiding her face whenever Jack pokes his tougue out or tugs at her skirt. Asked who she has played with at nursery today, she'll pipe up with 'Jack', then 'Jack Barratt'. Yes, she is on first, and second name terms with her first male friend. We've been talking about first and second names lately.

Gracie 'Yongdale', as she says it. Ever so cute!

 

The Cat, by Grace.

showing signs of multi-tasking, we're getting her used to headphones...

Skimming stones at East Ardsley resevoir

Making it balance

I'm tear arsing round Yorkshire in school-holiday traffic (which is a blessing if you read between the lines), juggling so many balls I'd be surprised if I could find my own arse in a snow storm amidst all the chaos. And yet when I walk in the door after the journey home from work, collecting child and Husband en-route, I put on the 'face' as I like to call it, and prepare a meal while supervising the painting of great works of art by the little one (which apparently include her face).

At the  precise moment I realise I'm burning the sauteed spuds because my back is turned to feed the dog and open the post,  I see THIS big smile of Grace - splashes of paint and joy across her face, and I think for a moment how it's all worth it.

(And then of course I set the alarm for 5.30am again tomorrow morning and I dig deep in the basement of my being to breathe in the joy and let go of the stress of quick-fire round that epitomises my Monday to Friday life).

Chardonnay? Because I'm worth it!

Easter fun

Short of things to say but never short of things to see and do, we spend Easter weekend with my Dad chalking off a few of the Yorkshire 'warm inside' destinations. Battling the snow which is still refusing to melt, Grace had a fun packed weekend with lots of variety and plenty of memories.

Maybe one day I'll find my voice again and start blogging instead of just posting photographs but everyone needs a wee break once in a while, so in the meantime, pics of our Easter fun...



Making Easter cornflake nests



Exploring the body-zone at Eureka!



Combining a love of dance, art and farmyard animals



Grace's painted Easter 'Mr Egg'



With Grandpa at Tropical World



Snow days in Halifax



Happy Birthday to Daisy-woof (pilchard, carrot & nut butter)

A breath of fresh air

Three weeks into being unemployed and the novelty is wearing off and I'm running out of things to chalk off my to-do list. I'm questioning my sanity and wondering if all that time spent trumpeting my decision making skills in the past has turned on me and taken a whopping big bite out of my backside. I forgive myself though as I gather holding a grudge against oneself achieves very little so instead I pack up the car and head for the hills, literally.

Albeit with the Husband and toddler in tow, I turn off the mobile phone and go tech-free for a three day trip to the Lake District, shoe-horning every essential and many questionable choices into the back of I car I only bought to fit a better buggy into, I realise my history in making decisions has been somewhat flawed. Nonetheless I stuff a bottle of red into the glovebox, set sat-nav to GO, and head off for a back to basics weekend with Grace, neither camping or glamping, but somewhere comfortably inbetween the two staying in a camping pod at the National Trust campsite at Great Langdale. How apt.

Revelling in the luxury of having a roof over our heads with heating when there is still snow on the high peaks outside, I'm gloating merrily at the soggy looking campers rolling out of bed the morning after a night of drizzle. Me, I'm suffering a different fate with Grace being scared of 'pitch black' of the night and the hooting owls that kept her awake and worried for a good hour in the night. We held hands a lot and she thanked me for saving her in the morning. Glad to be of help.

Loving the freedom to roam, Grace enjoyed herself and didn't want to get in the car when it was time to pack up and come home. She'd seemingly gotten used to getting water from the tap across a field, cooking on a camp stove and sleeping on the floor in a glorified shed. As luck would have it this is useful in the event I'm unemployed forever and have to revert to the simple life to keep our heads above water. At least I know we can do it.

We visited Windemere, Keswick, Ambleside and Skipton Castle in passing, each offering the chance of a coffee shop pit stop to fill up on a slice of tiffin.

It was a shock to the system returning to reality as we came back over the hill into Leeds and I realised I'd had three days to just live life with my family and enjoy it without worrying about the trappings of life as we know it. And Grace is back into her usual routine of nursery, ballet and swimming, reminding me at every corner that she'd very much like to go camping again Mummy so she can be with me.

 

Silent Sunday

Grace (27 months), Grandpa (78 100 years)

Mini Matisse

Bored to tears on my second day of garden leave found me delving into the cupboards to dig out some messy play for Grace. Kitted out with a very funky Hungry Caterpillar apron, rollers and easy-grip brushes, Grace got down with the paint and came up with some little gems. Mummy's little Matisse.

Pedal on pedal on

Kitted out like her Daddy after a sketchy start involving lots of "No Daddy" protestations, Grace set out on the bike for a jaunt around the garden. Legs long enough to reach the pedals, full of intent but lacking the co-ordination to propel her into actio, Daddy will just have to push for now! Pedal on pedal on....

That's just triggered a blast from the past, living in Dublin, just turned 21, listening to Luka Bloom play live at the theatre... The Acoustic Motorboke, the song was called, pedal on pedal on....

Water Confidence

Back to basics

Grace got off to a great start with confidence in water as we decided to take her to swimming lessons early on in her development. From around 3 months old we joined a swimming class and Grace began to look forward to the weekly dip in the pool but I soon got bored of the commitment to be in a certain place at a certain time and by the time she hit her first birthday we'd stopped going. We did go to the local pool a few times but typically without the impetus of joining a class it dwindled out altogether. By the time we hit Turkey in May this year, she'd lost all her confidence and although she wanted to be in the pool ALL the time, she would not submerge and had no interest in assuming the swim position. Oh-oh!

Eager to get back on track we've signed up for lessons again starting in September and it's my mission between now and then to work with her making water fun. Thanks to the two days of summer we had this week, we made a start with the paddling pool. Thank you mother nature!

When life gives you lemons

Getting out of bed the wrong side this morning, one tired bear braved all and made it to Fairburn Ings to feed the ducks and toddle round the reserve on the look out for a better mood (and some birds, obviously).

Grace didn't find it, bless her, so instead we fed her banana oat muffins and a bruised apple and that seemed to cheer her up enough to sit and have her photo taken with her pals from the village Berrie and Grace Rebecca. Missing smile ignored, I loved the expression on her face in the top photo, it really does look like she's sucking lemons... and as for the crazy hair - what's with that??!!

After the meet up at Fairburn we went home for a nap which I hedged my bets would see Grace sleeping most of the afternoon and waking in a better frame of mind.

Not so.

2 hours later (still fair innings, but woefully inadequate for mummy's tired bear) and we headed off into the garden for paddling pool and play house time. Had a blast, enjoyed it, just tired myself now after 4 hours of pandering to every whim of a tired toddler (now dosed with calpol in case it's her last teeth coming through... are there more to come?!)

p.s. please do not blink. This is the TWO DAYS OF SUMMER.

Magic at it's best

"So there's a voice in here..."

"It sounds like Mummy, but she's standing way over there by a silver thing that looks just like this one!"

"and Mummy's talking into it and I can hear her, so I might just talk too..."

"I'm a bit confused as to how this is possible!"

"Muuummmyy!"

The rainy day tart

Ok before anyone gets smart on me, yes I can be a tart any day of the week, not just on rainy days. But that's not the kind of tart I'm talking about. I'm talking jam tarts, on rainy days... the perfect way to spend an hour with Grace on a day when she's still recovering from the waterlogged wellies experienced earlier in the week, with snotty nose to boot. Mummy's little baker.

You cant see her face but she's concentrating really hard here!

Inbetween adding the pastry stars she was dipping her fingers in the jam!

Ready for the oven... pleased with her work.

Banana bandits

Eyeing up the black bananas in the fruit bowl suspiciously, Grace agreed we could not let them go to waste. Rummaging in the cupboards for a few ingredients, I decided to make banana bread before heading off the station to pick up Daddy from work. I'm a good cook, dreadful baker, but even I can't screw up banana bread. Surely?

Ingredients:

2 guey bananas
50g butter
100g flour
100g sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate
1 egg

Mix in a bowl using two spoons (this is critical for toddler involvement / pacification...)

Bake for 30 mins at 180c or until done, keep fingers crossed it rises, then celebrate when it does by eating!

Mixed weather in Norfolk!

Pointing to Nanny and Grandpa (at Banham Zoo)

Rain doesn't stop play in Norfolk

Daddy making a splash

Loving the puddle play, Grace 23 months old.

Her face says it all.... loving it!

Drenched by another Daddy-splash...

Pointing to the culprit... Bad Daddy!

Drenched!

Taking Daddy for a walk in Thetford Forest

Stumped!