Recent changes...

Sarah Sarah is getting more 'grown up' by the day. In the last couple of days she has been reliably sitting unaided, and has been clapping her hands. She has definitely been eating more - when given her 'fruit bat' course she'll eat the whole lot instead of gumming it and spitting it out. She seems to love fruit, and is getting more and more impatient to get her porridge in the morning too! She still has a morning nap at around 9/9.30am and an afternoon nap after lunch for about an hour or so (sometimes two!). She's our little baby girl still, but seeing her sitting up in the bath 'talking' to the the other two... makes you realise she's not a baby any more!

Edward Edward didn't have an afternoon nap on holiday, so that is officially when he stopped. He also stopped using the double buggy - we didn't take it on holiday - so he's been walking and Saz. has been using the brown/blue Maclaren Techno. He seems very grown up. Still into literally everything (tried making scotch pancakes today and had to send him out of the kitchen in the end because I was losing it with him!). Loving how he says e.g. 'She's got something on she's nose' instead of 'her nose'.

Elizabeth Just bought her five school shirts from the shop in Newport, and a school bag. She's more than ready to go. Seems so grown up - still prone to silly tantrums and crying etc, but her understanding of things is really good, and she is able to wait a bit more patiently for things (occasionally). Drawing/writing etc coming on in leaps and bounds.

Husband Worn down by this executor of the will lark. Made good progress at work in the first half of the year, working on offshoring project then finishing with video presentation that was his idea, but concerned he won't be able to maintain his 'mega' rating in the second half of the year to secure the higher rate bonus. Tentatively looking for other jobs. Not running at the moment (never really recovered after colds/illnesses over Easter sort of time).

Me Feeling on the one had worn down by constantly getting up every three hours to feed Sarah, and by the constant work involved in maintaining this family (shopping, washing, ironing, cooking, cleaning) and keeping on top of presents/cards for family and friends' birthdays which seems to take up so much time. Not really thought too much about work - I start back in three weeks. Gave up chocolate a few days ago because it was getting rediculous the amount I was consuming e.g. three Terry's chocolate bars, a couple of Twixes and various biscuits etc through the course of a day plus a couple of hot chocolates. Went through bad period of withdrawal but feel I am coming out the other side and beginning to feel slightly more human again.

Back from holidays...

The time always always always comes around... no more looking forward to the holiday, now only looking back wistfully at the pictures on the camera and hoping we can manage to get through to next Summer! It was, as expected, a hectic week in the run up to departure day, and the day itself was pure stress and adrenalin. Elizabeth and I had our induction morning at school. She went off with her class-mates to meet her teacher, while I listened to talks by the head and the reception class teachers, and got a view of what she would be doing and when. Dashed out from there, got home, packed final things into the car, then set off. Felt strange to be stopping after an hour at Frankley, not for the buying of the sandwiches as usual, but for lunch. Consequently we arrived much much later than normal, and it was an absolute mad dash to get the house set up for bath and bed. We made it though. Then I had to dash to Sainsburys in Dartmouth before closing time to get bread and basic essentials to get us through breakfast.





We had an amazing two weeks. So lucky with the weather, such a lovely place to stay - Little Cotton Barn, just five minutes from Sainsburys - perfect location. The children loved the trampoline and slide/swings/climbing fort in the garden, and 'nature' i.e. rabbits and cows etc. The house was huge, we liked playing on the Wii every evenings and looking at our photos on the Wii. Got a new camera just before we went, so pleased with our pictures. Went to many of our usual destinations - Totnes (or Top Nest as Edward calls it), Exeter (used Pizza Express vouchers), North Sands and Winking Prawn, Slapton, Thurlestone, Bigbury, Kingsbridge... also went to Looe (never again!) and boat/steam train to Paignton (never again) and many trips around Dartmouth. Ate twice at Sportsmans Arms, went swimming in Kingsbridge. Didn't have a 'rest' though, but am beginning to see that this much sought after state might be some distance away from us. Sarah didn't really have a good night all the time we were there, so very tired, and difficult not being able to put her down anywhere, plus of course having to watch Edward every second (he managed to remove a spindle from a staircase, flatten the car battery, break one of the only nick-nacks left out (a wicker bowl that for some reason was stuck down to a table)... Lovely time all together though, and since we've been away Sarah has started clapping and in the last couple of days she has started sitting up without support. Edward hasn't had a nap in the afternoon since we went on holiday, and hasn't used the double buggy either. It is harder in many respects, but a feeling that progress is being made! Back to mayhem of wedding/bridesmaid stuff for me and executor stuff for husband. Long for a rest....