The college term is now in full swing and whilst, as you know, I am not really missing proceedings, it is quite strange to not be in the thick of things - I rather like being the centre of attention and currently I am constantly out-shone by someone who is only about 2 foot high! He is getting cheekier by the day I might add too! We have a good routine going on, me and him with busy mornings, sleepy lunchtimes (him, not me, I use this time to run around like a headless chicken trying to catch up on making and chores (- you know, all those things that busy little hands make too much of a meal of!) and lazy afternoons filled mainly with Duplo and Oliver Jeffers! My little duckling is much happier in the water, is becoming a very talky tot, is enjoying the sensory side of things of toddler sense, goes mental in Stepping Stones, but still won't play peek-a-boo or march in Monkey Music - it appears that the boy just doesn't like following orders - lucky, lucky, me! Last week my folks took him to Monkey Music so that I could take part in the Macmillan Coffee Morning (- please donate - one of my bestest friends underwent surgery recently for about the millionth time - and your money is needed to keep our loved ones, like her, making our world special.......), really fab of them yeah? Especially as this is going to be a regular occurrence once I return to work, although after his behaviour at the class, perhaps not..... Apparently it got to the part where the "marching" was announced (all he has to do is walk around the room and duck under an umbrella for goodness sake) and he passed my mum her coat and bag, grabbed his nappy bag and was headed out the door! Good grief he's going to get himself a rep!!!! I even practised marching with him too in a bid to rid him of this aversion! Oh well, I expect we will get there! New words have been added to his vocabulary now too, these include all gone (accompanied by a wave, and a naughty smile when what he has been saying his farewells too has been either spat out or hurled across the room), bye bye, more, Granddad (he can say this but not mama!), purple (has no idea this is a colour), book, bubbles and nice! He is a super little boy and continues to take everything in his stride!
Since my last post we have gorged ourselves on Blackberry and apple crumble, had lots of lunches and coffees out, attended a head shave, shown my parents how to run their office, enjoyed some more yummy things from the garden, had our first hair cut and behaved ourselves on an evening adventure!
Ellie Lyver is an ex-student of mine who was diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer whilst studying with us - I can remember the day she told us all so clearly, and how upset and devastated her friends were. Ellie is one of those people who is just instantly likeable and particularly heart-warming to be around, possessing a tremendous sense of fun and energy that this only amplified the situation, hitting them doubly hard in the realisation that it doesn't matter who you are, or how old you are, life is fragile and cancer isn't just reserved for a much later period in ones life.. What I have personally learned from Ellie and those who are close to me who have had their own battles with cancer, is that you need to remain positive and trust in both the professionals and your nearest and dearest to help you through - we are lucky that medical science is always an amazing work in progress, but it needs to be met half way and positivity is a very powerful thing. Below are my pictures from Ellie's head shave for CLIC Sargent and the Little Princess Trust, along with her justgiving details and her official photographers record of the afternoon - I even got to have a hack at her hair, as did G as Noah looked on in amazement before becoming more interested in the family dog!!
Well, we had to buy her a hat so that she could stay toasty!!!
Give what you can, it's a very nice thing to do.
More clocks are in production with new prints being created - let's hope people want to buy them or my poor friends and family are going to be forced to have them as Christmas presents!! Oh speaking of which, I am about to start work on the mother of all advent calendars - watch this space.......!
I am also hoping that it is going to get colder......
One of the many amazing things about where we live is the fact that we have a lovely garden where things actually grow and very kind neighbours who also share their spoils!
Heather's cox's
My runners
My leeks
Blackcurrant sage which I have yet to use as an ingredient, but have long lusted after its fabulous purple flowers
Beautiful tomatoes which are now even turning red - never have I managed this before!
The mother of all marrows - all set to feed at least two families
And, err, how can I put this.... Roger's plums...!
Noah enjoyed his trip to my parent's office and proved to be quite the mover and the shaker!
Yeah? What do you want? Can't you see we are busy???
His trip to our office wasn't quite so serious - perhaps his Daddy isn't such a good influence!!!
Ahh, but on the other hand- he does read Room On The Broom very well!
I like Tuesdays, Talking Tots is my favourite Noah class and he actually seems to genuinely enjoy it too, despite the fact that he has to do a little bit of marching! We always head into town afterwards to check out the market, buy some bread from John the baker, play on the park swings and listen the the town crier - isn't he a smarty pants?!
We always enjoy meeting up with the other children at Thedden and this time along with cousin Max we found Fin - an instant hit with Noah, funny how the little ones are instantly attracted to the older ones isn't it? There was also a bit of tree climbing in Thedden's famous Evergreen Oak - Ivan not Noah, but I don't suppose it will be long......
Our adventures in the woods have now begun, and last week it was all about our friend the hedgehog, with some hunting and collecting, decorating and sculpting. If I am absolutely honest Noah was mostly interested in running off, jumping in muddy, boggy, patches, scoffing the story time biscuits and chucking all his collage materials on the classroom floor, and it was me who got all excited about making a clay and twig critter, but it's a lovely little set up with a nice group of Mummies and Daddies and a very lovely orchestrator, and Alice Holt, where it's held is an amazing place for kids to be, so it is something I will persevere with and look forward to going to!
Twigs for making
Noah's very own bag
An interesting pine cone with a fascinating history
My, errr ahem, our twig and clay creature - I say creature as he is a rather abstract hedgehog!
Amazing what you can do with some double-sided tape and a few twigs and leaves!!
Speaking of simple supplies, I had a very enjoyable day at Tweseldown race course last month at an Artisan market I sometimes do. You never know where you will be pitched there, which is half the fun, but this time I was in a tiny room with three larger than life friends who were focused on providing fun for the children who have arrived, mostly unwittingly on the hands of their bargain and craft seeking parents. This time wire and paper fish were the main activity, and in the absence of a handy child (who was at home playing with daddy) I elected to get stuck in myself, between customers - pretty cool, even if I say so myself!!!
He now hangs from Noah's lampshade!
HUGE CONGRATULATIONS too, to my awesome friend Lynda, who after 22 YEARS finally married the lovely Derek!!
This cropped up on youtube - brilliant!
And since we are on the subject of moving image (!) I have to share with you my joy of Autumn T.V. oh I do love this time of year - when all the new good stuff comes arrives, especially new dramas and, X Factor (tragic, yes I know!). My money is on Abi Alton.
My Glee season 4 DVD is set to arrive tomorrow - a whole season behind as usual and so sad to think that the Cory Monteith tribute episode airs in this week in the states....
On a more positive note, it is big knit time again for Innocent - get knitting!
