We're back from Center Parcs. Phew! The week before last was an absolute blur. After the hectic run up to Edward's birthday I was bordering on panic attacks as I tried to assemble everything we'd need for our week away. The chests of drawers in our room were heaving with piles of stuff, clothes everywhere, endless lists, and endless stress. We had the weekend to get it all together, then finally the big day arrived.
March 7th 2011 - off we set. We dropped husband's trousers at the dry cleaners to be shortened, then realised we'd left bear, came home, got bear, then set off again to husband's work to drop off the on-call laptop and phone, then hot-footed it down to Thetford Forest. We stopped just outside of Cambridge to feed and change Sarah, then arrived at Centerparcs at around 1.30pm. The queue of traffic was a little intimidating, but we made our way into the massive car park, then wheeled the double buggy with our two littlies in all the way to one of the boating lakes where we found some picnic benches ready for our picnic lunch. It was cold, but they ate their sandwiches and 'fruit bat' and then rambled around looking at the ducks, playing with their friend Benjamin. We made our way to the supermarket, stocked up on a few things (well, about £120 worth of things) including lasagne for the children and chicken pie for the adults, then walked to our lodge, CD141. We allocated the rooms, and the children played then eventually the men went to get the cars and the vast quantities of bags, childrens toys and general paraphernalia was unloaded. I was teetering at breaking point as I couldn't see how I could un-pack everything, get everything ready for bath/bed-time and cook the tea whilst feeding Sarah.
We survived though! They settled off to bed, and the next morning I heard Edward on the monitor saying 'Mummy airport' - Elizabeth: "No Mummy is not an airport, you can't land on her!". I went in to find Edward at the end of his cot and Elizabeth at the end of the bed, both peering out of the window. Elizabeth said there were two animals, one with horns and one without. Sure enough there were two deer, right outside the window looking at them. Magic!
We got ready and then took them to the swimming pool (sub-tropical paradise). This was less paradise. The family changing rooms were really small, we had too much stuff for the lockers, Edward didn't like it when we got in and cried, and in the end I brought Edward and Sarah (who had enjoyed her first swimming experience) out then realised I was in no-man's land with no hope of ever finding anyone again. Panic-stricken I stripped Edward off (cue poo falling out of swim nappy onto floor) and put his vest and nappy on, got Sarah into hers, and carried/dragged them both back into the sub-tropical paradise to summon husband. We all tried to get dressed with clothes dropping onto the floor etc etc, then made our way out to the Sports Cafe for our lunch. More screaming from Edward, but we had a nice lunch - cajun chicken baguette for me. They had jacket potatoes if I remember correctly.
Home to try to get Edward to nap, but he wouldn't. Cue more screaming. We all went out that evening to Bella Pasta which was fine enough. Had a bottle of vino, and felt slightly less panic-stricken but Edward was still playing up, and it wasn't exactly relaxing. I'd taken Sarah in the sling and Edward had travelled in the MacPac which was quite a good move, as he was really tired as we headed back and would have fallen asleep in the buggy. It was quite magical strolling through the woods in the dark, looking up at the stars with Elizabeth asking why they are so beautiful, and asking whether the big Daddies or the two big Mummies would bonk the fox on the head if it tried to bite Sarah. We rushed through the bath routine, and got them down. Initially Sarah didn't settle, but eventually she did. We were all done in though!
Next day was bike hire day, but we realised fairly early on that Sarah wasn't old enough to sit upright in the trailer. Disaster! We decided that Saro and I would go back to the lodge and meet everyone for lunch at 'Made' in the Village Square at 12.30pm. Husband strapped the two of them up in his trailer and off they went. To be honest I was glad of a breather. Lay Sarah on her rug, put Cash in the Attic on, had a hot chocolate, then for some unknown reason felt the need to hand-wash some muslins and vests! Made the children some sandwiches then set off with Sarah in the buggy for the long walk to the centre, only to find that it took me five minutes (strange how adult pace is so much faster than toddler pace). Hade a nice hot pork bap, fed Sarah, then had to take a screaming Edward and Sarah out of the cafe and rush them around the supermarket to get fishfingers etc. We ordered our take-away later, then that afternoon after I'd fed Sarah at around 2pm I went out on the bike with Elizabeth, M, A and Benjamin and we went to the sub-tropical swimming paradise. This time took a carrier bag only, had much more fun, went in the waves and on the flumes, came back on the bike before Sarah had even woken up, and felt much better. Had a shower back at the lodge, washed Elizabo's hair, then got ready to commence tea. Husband and I trekked off on the bikes to pick up the take-away, and the table had been set up to look lovely when we returned. Had a good night.
Next day we took them to the park, then had lunch at the big country pub with an outdoor and indoor play area for them. Edward still playing up, Sarah not settling particularly well, but nonethless we managed it! Home, left Edward and Sarah again, and repeated the swimming with Elizabeth but this time had a scare when I found my locker strap had no number on it when we came out of the pool. I imagined having to search each of 1000+ lockers, but thankfully we located it quite quickly with the help of a life-guard. Went to get bread, milk and eggs, then tripped back to the lodge again for a rushed shower. Made cheese on toast, then M cooked pancakes while we bathed and bedded our people. I attempted to pack, then A and I demolished some wine, chocolate and watched the Wedding Singer while the men went to play pool.
The following day was departure day. Early start. Packed up the car in efficient silence. I took the car and Sarah back to the car park, husband took the cheebies to the park, then we bought a sandwich for the journey, and set off for home. Stopped around lunch-time for a nightmare-nappy-change scenario, then arrived home at around 3pm. I unloaded the roofbox while husband marched the tribe to the Co-op. Washing in. Job done.
And so Sarah approaches 6 months. She is just about rolling over, but still hasn't quite managed it. No teeth, not really sleeping through yet. Still napping in her cot downstairs by day, and sleeping in her crib in our room at night. She generally has her bath with the others and settles straight off to sleep just before 7pm, then will wake up around 4-5am, then again at around 6am. She has just started sitting in the highchair these last couple of days to get her used to what lies ahead. She weighs just on 18lb, around the 75th centile. She laughs lots, loves to be hugged (by me and the others). She is a lovely girl.
Edward has had his second birthday and has launched into tantrums. He will even say when we 'wants tantrun' and asked to be put onto time out today. He still eats his porridge and toast, lunch with fruitbat, and has been a bit better at eating his tea. He hasn't sat in his highchair for a few weeks now, and we're just thinking about ordering his bed to complete his move into sharing a room and being a big boy. No signs of toilet-training being effective.
Elizabeth's 'mark making' is coming along at nursery school. She appears 4 going on 4o with her reasoning and insight. Her behaviour was lots lots better this morning so I'm hoping she has turned a corner. Oh, and I haven't watched soaps for a couple of weeks. Back to walking tonight after a week off at Center Parcs. Knackered!
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