Making Hay While the Sun Shines

On Saturday a lack of desire to “get things done” i.e. housework, errands, gym sessions and the years first truly amazing weather led to a snap 7am decision to take J to a really amazing park about 45 mins drive from us. Philip was sent off to the gym to get his work out while J and I made our picnic lunch (actually I made our picnic lunch while J ate us out of house and home) and made a quick trip on foot into town to buy a sun hat as all of J’s were too small (found on clearance for 50p bargain, then forgotten at home, yes J can blame me if she gets skin cancer) and a fresh bottle of sun cream for this summer.

The car was pack up and we set off, J napped in the back while we took the scenic route (not on purpose) and she woke about five minutes before we arrived. The weather was amazing and this park truly is spectacular it has a small amusement park, a splash park, two huge play areas with equipment to appeal to many ages, two massive sand boxes and it backs right up on to a lovely walking path along the estuary up to town.

After a picnic lunch ( I still get a kick out of seeing Jocelynne sitting at picnic tables it just doesn’t seem like she should be old enough) J dug to her hearts content in one of the sand pits. Who knew a sand pit, bucket, and spade could provide such long term entertainment?



Once the excitement of the sand pit wore off we made out way along the estuary to the ice cream stalls and J was treated to her first experience of a Flake 99 (soft serve ice cream) considering it was her first attempt the mess was minimal.



By this point we had worn J out enough she went in the push chair with out too much trouble and Philip and I were allowed to have a wander around the town which much to our delight had a number of “mom and pop” shops as well and independently owned fish mongers, green grocers, and butchers. It was lovely to see heirloom varieties of cauliflower in the green grocer as well as fresh local mushrooms and blood oranges. A quick latte later the sun was getting lower in the sky and the breeze cooler and we headed home all nicely warmed by the sun and a lovely afternoon together. I look forward to taking J back to Maldon this summer when the splash park has opened I think she is at the perfect age to really appreciate it this summer and goodness knows I am never opposed to an ice cream or two!

I once was lost

I have been gone for a while, a long while. Life took over. Everything seemed to hit at once. J turned one, I went back to work part time, my non mobile baby became a mobile toddler no longer content to sit on a blanket and play with the toys around her. J’s two naps dropped to one. She still didn’t sleep more than 4-6 hours with out waking. I put my foot down and refused to nurse during the night, we both survived, just. J decided that she was going to “sleep through the night” read only wake 1-2 times and go right back to sleep after being offered some water. We finally got a bed time routine down that worked for everyone. I decided to wean J, she didn’t really care after the first morning. J had her first trip to A&E for a dislocated elbow that we have no idea how it happened. She was happily singing and playing with Philip and I and then she wouldn’t use her arm or hand. We decided to put our flat on the market. J had a second trip to the A&E for doing a 2 ½ pike with head dismount down the stairs, I was right there but couldn’t grab her when she fell, I almost lost my lunch I was so scared, upset, worried. She was fine and wanted to run around like nothing had happened before the paramedics could get here. A trip to the hospital and some material on what to watch out for and less than two hours later we were back at home. In between it all many trips to the park, sea side, soft play, story time and song time at our local children’s center.

And somewhere in the middle of all of that I lost myself for a while, not to worry I am slowly finding myself again. Each day if not better than the last is not worse and we are slowly find our rhythm again.