Who’s Normal Anyway?

Yesterday afternoon we went to visit Wensleydale Creamery with my mum and sister, home of Wallace and Gromit’s favourite cheese. M’s been after going there for a while because he loves W & G. It took us about an hour to drive there through the dales, with snow on the tops of all the hills. We toured the little museum about the history of cheese making in the dales, then watched cheese being made. Afterwards we had to go in the restaurant and try their ginger cheesecake, made with wensleydale cheese with ginger in it. Yummy, but very, very rich. We also tried all the different flavours of cheese in the cheese shop and bought a few to bring home. My favourites were the wensleydale with mango and papaya and the ewe’s milk cheese. M’s favourites were blueberry and the caramelised onion cheese.

Highlights of the past few days:

We’ve started making Christmas cards. I got some craft bits out on Sunday when M was bored and we did a few. Seems a bit early, but usually it gets into December and he doesn’t feel like doing any and its a rush to even get any written. This year I ordered a few bits he’d circled from the Yellow Moon catalogue and we’ve been painting, glittering and sticking on little penguins and snowmen. Must find something to put them in so I can move them off the dining table now.

We’re getting a new (to us) car! Steve phoned to say he’d taken delivery of our new car, it’s so exciting!! We’ve had this one since just before M was born - new baby, new car? Anyway we just need to get to the bank now and sort a cheque out and then we can collect it when we go down to Okehampton next month.

I won’t blog all the bad bits, but we’ve had quite a lot of arguments and strops going on too. This morning M climbed into bed next to me at 7am crying because he’d fallen out with A over porridge. I’ve been making us porridge the last week or so and A asked me yesterday what I do so he could make it. Theoretically I add a pinch of salt, but often forget and I don’t think M has seen me put it in. This morning he complained to A his porridge was too salty (tasted fine when I tried it cold when I got downstairs), A told him to eat it and allegedly shouted at him when he wouldn’t. Cue very upset 7 year old saying his Daddy doesn’t love him and will throw all his toys away (? Don’t know where he gets these things from?). All made much worse because A was going to work away for a week and had to set off in 10 mins, so no time really to sort it out. So then A came upstairs, had another strop about children who refuse to eat and was disproportionately angry (IMHO) and I think I should have just knocked their heads together, honestly. I mean, how can you get offended by someone not eating your porridge? I suppose we all just get uptight when A is going away and he does it pretty often, and M misses him alot.

Anyway, we had a lovely afternoon yesterday. We went to Thorp Perrow Arboretum with some HE friends who have an annual pass, so we got in for nothing. Thank you! M had the chance to race round with 2 other boys and enjoy the fresh air and I had a nice chat with L. We had a spell in the playground and then walked up to the falconry centre to see if they were doing their 1.30pm display. We were the only ones there and we thought they weren’t going to bother, but I guess they need to fly the birds anyway and one of the staff came out with a buzzard a few minutes later. So we listened to him telling us all about the buzzard and we all got chance to hold him. Then he brought out a Turkmenian Eagle Owl and L and I both held him too. When we’ve been before its been so busy there’s been no chance to do that, so we might go again when it’s cold and a week day.

We were getting a bit chilly, so we walked back by the lake and the plastic crocodile, saw the ducks and skimmed gravel onto the frozen water. Got back to the entrance and went for hot chocolate in the cafe and M spent some pocket money on a sword and shield set there, as did A, so then they all had a sword fight outside before we got back in the car to come home.

On Thursday I took L to a new baby signing class to see what it was like. I know a few people who’ve signed with their toddlers and I always thought it looked like something we might have a go at, so I emailed the class leader and asked what age it’s for and she said it was fine to go from birth. I think L was a little bit on the young side for us to easily join in but I enjoyed it. L was a bit too overwhelmed looking round at all the crawlers and toddlers to want to look at me and enjoy the singing (or maybe it’s my singing LOL!). The class is half an hour of singing nursery rhymes and baby songs and signing along, learning 5 new signs (won’t be teaching him biscuit just yet!) and then a half hour for coffee and choccie biccies and having a chat.

While we were there, A and M went to try the climbing wall in the leisure centre and M came back buzzing about how good a time he’d had. (Do you think your big 2 would be interested in going anytime Tech, or is it too far?) We’ll have to take him there again, maybe next time A is working evenings. Next week if we go to Tiny Talk again M will have to come with us, so hopefully he’ll enjoy learning some signs too.

Yesterday morning we went to visit my Grandma, Dad and Aunt who we haven’t seen since L was about 5 weeks old, in fact my Aunt hadn’t met him yet. So we caught up a bit and M helped Grandma in the kitchen, so managed to get a share of the attention. Then he blagged her coin jar out of her cupboard – spotted it when she was getting plates out and asked for it for the Blue Peter appeal. Wasn’t sure whether to die of embarrassment or be pleased at him being charitable. He’s also put a penny jar in the downstairs loo at home to raise more cash, so we literally spend a penny when we go LOL.

We had lunch at my Grandma’s then it was a quick drive home to drop A off for mountain rescue (off to the Lake District again) and out again to M’s musical theatre class. Seems like we never stopped!

Today has been much more peaceful. We’ve spent most of the day at home and M’s had a bit of a Star Wars fest (PC game and a video, in and among other bits he’s been doing) and I’ve been finding things to go to the charity shop to have a bit of a tidy out. In the early afternoon we went out to M’s dancing class.

L’s been working on his tummy shuffle. I’m not sure what he does exactly, but he moves backwards somehow, so need to keep even more of an eye on him, because he doesn’t stay put. And just to even it up a bit so it doesn’t sound like we are ECing wonders or something, we’ve been completely off today. We’ve had so many misses I resorted to disposables til I could get a grip, and didn’t “catch” anything til L’s after nap wee at tea time. We’re often more in tune when we’re out - at home I get distracted doing other things and only think “oh yes, he needed a wee” after the event.

Yesterday we went to a wonderful hedgehog workshop for home edders at Skelton Grange in Leeds. We had to set off first thing which was a bit of a struggle, because it started at 10.30am. I had a minor panic when we got to the car park, because it’s on land controlled by the power station next door and I thought the security guard was going to refuse to let me in, though eventually he was fairly nice. But no one else seemed to have arrived (turned out they’d parked elsewhere or come on the bus to be environmentally friendly).

The workshop started with a general chat about hedgehogs inside the centre. Then we walked down to the woods and split into 2 groups to build hedgehog houses. It was cold and muddy but the sun was shining and it was lovely to be outside. L was snuggled up in the sling and M got well stuck in to finding sticks and then digging up soil to fill in gaps between the twigs to make the shelter cosy.

L was enjoying just watching all the activity for the most part, but then started getting whingey and I felt I had to offer him a wee, which was a bit tricky outside with it being so chilly. I also worried about what everyone else would think. So I took him a little way away from the group and faced away from them and he weed fine, in fact I think he preferred to do that than go in the toilets there. He had his new split crotch trousers on (new blue ones) and then C helped me juggle him to refasten his nappy over them, so worked out Ok in the end and he settled down for the rest of the time we were outside.

By the time the shelters were built we were overunning by about an hour, so we went back inside to eat our lunch. The boys especially were pretty restless inside and started throwing around cushions and soft toys, which was pretty embarassing. They get so hyped up and silly. I kind of expect the little ones to get a bit like that but at 7 I expect M to have a bit more respect for the place that is hosting us. Though I don’t think he was the worst by any means. Hope the centre will have us back again!

Next we went back into the woods to search for hedgehog foods and see what insects we could find. M found slugs, had a minor meltdown when the lady in charge said it was time to finish though - because he hadn’t found a centipede. She kindly helped him look at a centipede and a millipede and rescued the situation - he does so take things to heart.

The hedgehog lady had arrived at the centre by this time and gave us a talk about resucing hedgehogs. She was very passionate about them and had brought along 3 that had been found abandoned as babies that were now ready to go back into the wild. I liked how she explained that the hedgehogs need special milk because each type of mammal does best on its own milk type. She pointed out one of the 2 year olds having a breastfeed and said how good it is to have milk from mummy. Not so keen on some of her other comments to the kids, but never mind. Focus on the positive!

Finally we walked back down to the woods for the 3rd time and I was getting a bit fed up by this time, cos it was turning even chillier as the sun went down and L was tired and grumpy. We released the hedgehogs into the shelters we’d made in the morning and shut them in for overnight with a saucer of food and some water, so they’d get used to the shelter and return there (as per detailed instructions from the hedgehog lady).

We finished off with a hedgehog story back in the centre and then set off for home about quarter to four.

I don’t know why, but whenever A has the week off work it always seems to get a bit hectic. I think we just try and pack too much in to the time, or maybe it’s having another person around all day makes it seem busier?

Last night we had chicken curry for tea, nothing clever cooking wise, it was chicken and a jar of sauce in a casserole dish. But it tasted good. So after tea there was a casserole dish soaking in the washing up bowl. Unfortunately M added a side plate into the bowl without looking and it wedged stuck inside the casserole dish. I mean *really* stuck. It seemed like nothing would shift it and there was no gap down the edge to try and lever it back out again. A has no patience and had decided he was going to break the plate to get it out and I threw a fit about it. So then I spent ages with washing up liquid trying to coax it back out, with no luck, and A in the background going I told you so. Refused to give in and then had a brain wave. There was enough space for water to get in beneath the plate, so I filled up to the plate with water and stuck it all in the freezer. This morning I got it back out and tried melting the ice to release the plate but still nothing happened. Thought A might be sniggering in the background feeling superior. So I left it all upside down in the washing up bowl of warm water and 2 minutes later there was a ping and out popped the plate. The water beneath it froze and expanded just enough to push the plate free of the dish. So had to blog it to get my own back on A LOL!

Apart from kitchen science, this morning we worked on M’s subtraction some more and then mapped out what he knows about India. He came up with a few things I didn’t think he knew (story from India from CBeebies ages ago and he knows about turbans?!) yet he couldn’t think of any Indian food (despite last night’s curry). Then he played Neopets for a bit, before we headed into town.

We had to get to 2 banks and swap some money around and M and A also needed haircuts. But by the time we got into town what with one thing and another in the way of distractions it was lunchtime, so we went for sandwiches in the cafe first. Then while A and M were in the barbers I went to buy wool for my sister and spotted something else for a Christmas present. We only had 2 hours on the car, so then we moved to a different car park to go to the library. M chose a Famous Five book and was reading it in the car. If he can read it for himself it’ll save me having to read it. I used to love Famous Five as a child and read them all, but they seem pretty silly to me now.

We got back home and M had some computer time and then he and A went back out again to his swimming class. I stayed home for once and hoped L would nap, but it only lasted about 10 minutes. I got tea on ready for them coming back and juggled L who couldn’t decide what to do with himself. He crashed for a while about 6.30pm and I hoped that was it for the day but no, that was just a nap and he’s been wide awake most of the evening and wanting to investigate everything - TV blip, designs on his quilt, A’s watch.

L’s been quite entertaining the last couple of days, because he’s just found his tongue. Well, that’s all I can explain it as. He’s figured out how to stick his tongue out and does it all the time. It looks a bit like he’s trying to get rid of a hair from his mouth and he licks his top lip and grins. We’ve played sticking tongue out games with him with not much response til now, still, it’s helping him latch on quite a bit better

Don’t know where exactly my time is going at the moment, but I just don’t get around to blogging. Anyway, this evening I’m waiting for photos to upload to Bonusprint for printing out and it’s estimating another 26 mins (and I only sent 11!!) so thought I’d do a quick catch up now.

Going back a week and a half:

On the Thursday A went to see an osteopath. I never would have thought I’d be writing that in a million years, I nearly fell through the floor when he said he was thinking of going LOL. I blame it on booking independent midwives for a homebirth - it’s amazing what he’ll consider doing now! He’d pulled something in his back out with MRT carring a heavy rucksack, and had been wincing in pain when lifting L and generally suffering for a couple of weeks. So off he went to see Claire (osteopath I saw in pregnancy and we took L to) and he came back a new man! Apparently his back was all skew-whiff with his muscles tense trying to keep everything in place. She slackened it all off, then told him to take a deep breath and there was a sound like crushing cornflakes as everything went back into place. He’s so much better!

At the weekend we had a Guy Fawkes party and invited up my mum and sis and A’s parents. They came up in the afternoon after M’s dancing class. Once it got dark we bundled up and went out into the back garden to let off fireworks and light sparklers. L stared at them fascinated but wasn’t scared at all. We almost set the fence alight at one point when the catherine wheel didn’t spin, but A had fastened up a spare bit of wood on top of the fence and that got the worst of it. Then afterwards we had a buffet tea with jacket potatoes, bean stew and salad followed by parkin, catherine wheel biscuits and some very yummy lime drizzle cake my mum made with polenta.

This week we’ve not done anything very remarkable. On Wednesday we didn’t feel like driving far, so ended up turning down an invitation to visit friends a good hour’s drive away and didn’t go to West Park either. In the afternoon we went for a short drive to a soft play and met up with a few mums from the Mum and Baby group. It was L’s first soft play experience, not that he can do much yet (but at least babies are free there). He played with the balls and admired himself in the mirror and I got to chat. M was a bit bored with no bigger kids to play with.

M has got into colouring Rangoli patterns that we brought home from the music group and we’ve been reading stories from India and doing a mini India project. Tomorrow I’m thinking of suggesting we do a basic mind map (thanks to Joyce’s blog for the inspiration) of what he already knows about India and see what else he’d like to do (or not). Shall have to get a book from the library or something and find out more about mind mapping I think, if he does OK with it. We’ve never tried it before. He’s part way through making shadow puppets to retell one of the stories we read and we’ve been looking at the geography of India. Found this website which we keep referring to.

M’s also been practising alot of subtraction sums and learning to do them in columns with borrowing. He finds taking away quite a challenge to get his head around, so we’re just doing loads of examples. My mum’s a retired maths teacher and she’s passed on some maths books that have pages of sums to work, so we’re going through one of those for a while. They get gradually harder and then move onto word problems using the same kinds of sums.

Spelling is still going well using Spalding - it seems to make sense to M and give him a method for spelling. We have a laugh about the spelling rules, cos I can never remember which rule number is which and he has to tell me (you probably have to be there to see the funny side). M’s reluctant to put things into writing, but is doing well making up short sentences using words from each day’s spelling. I think his reading is helping this too, it’s all coming together now. He’s realised in the last couple of weeks that he can read chapter books and has finished Astrosaurs and today he read 7 chapters of Mystery Ranch (a Boxcar Children book). At bedtime we’ve begun reading The Secret Garden, and it’s fairly hard going on the readaloud side, especially trying to make sense of how the Yorkshire accent is written down LOL! We’ve had a couple of fairly abridged versions on cassette, so it’s interesting to see what was edited out.

Right, photos have finished and I ought to be going to bed, so better go do battle with the printer to get my eBay packing slips printed from Paypal so I can get things posted tomorrow!