A Treasure Basket For Idris

Well Idris is sitting up already...... steady as a rock within about three days....... how did that happen so quickly?! It has opened up a whole new world of possibilities and he is very content to sit and reach out for all around him. This has coincided with him developing more control in his hands and arms along with a fascination with...... everything! I have been waiting for him to get to this stage to bring out the treasure basket that I made him for Christmas. I made one for my nephew at the same time and he really enjoyed his. Hopefully Idris will too and I can put up some pictures of him exploring it. Here's a list of what is in the basket:

• Fabrics - hessian, tulle, catch netting, silicone pot holder, kite material, fleece.
• Spoons - three different lengths.
• Spatula - wooden slatted and a silicone one.
• Honey twister and a pastry brush.
• Silicone coated whisk.
• Containers - small metal bowl, wooden bowl, half a coconut shell, wicker basket and two egg cups.
• Balls - two wooden jacks (one red, one natural), a heavy crown green bowling ball and a sculpted lightweight ball.
• Wooden dolly pegs.
• Wooden curtain rings - some with ribbons tied on.
• Wooden shapes - pebble, a star, a turtle, octagon, bobbin, optical viewer.
• Miscellaneous items - small metal sieve, sea shells, marble disc, large corks, wooden bobbin and a bear bell.

I've deliberately started with mainly wooden items and a selection of fabrics. I have plans to introduce sounds and smells later on as well as more metal items. There are so very many things to put into treasure baskets that you just have to start with some and build it up as you see things. I think it's fun to start with a selection and then see what Idris is interested in then expand that area. I have been careful to make sure that there are things for comparison, such as different textures of similarly sized squares of fabrics, and different shapes and lengths of 'implements'. The basket contains a mix of items found at home, at boot sales and from shops such as 'Home Bargains', 'Dunelms' and others.

Blogger's Block!!

I'm suffering from blogger's block! It isn't that there isn't anything to say, it's that there's too much to say and I don't know where to start or how to say it all so I'm going to throw it down here, press 'publish' then move on....... please indulge me!

My brother and sister-in-law were over from Canada for three weeks over Christmas and New Year with my nephew who is one at the end of this month. I so loved seeing them but it was hard too, I always feel so bereft when they leave and I worry about them. They have lots going on. My sister-in-law (oh stuff it, lets just call her my sister) has to go back to work soon and that means that my nephew has to go to daycare. I remember very vividly how tortured I felt when I had to return to work after Eve was born and I feel her pain. They also have to face moving this year when they really wanted another year where they are to help my brother become established as a paramedic before having to start over somewhere new. That somewhere new means selling and buying a house, leaving friends and starting from scratch, stressful stuff. Stuff that me and my husband can make choices about, stuff that my sister can't make choices about because she's in the air force. Great job, great security, not great for stability and making your own choices. There..... worries down on paper, feeling lighter already. I'm here for you both if you want to chat about all that 'stuff' y'all! I'll e-mail you guys back now I'm not tied up in knots anymore!!

Then there was New Year.... usually I get that buzz before New Year and am itching to start afresh on new things and implement new ideas but we were supposed to be moving house in mid January so I made myself wait. I thought it would be silly to start new things just before upheaval. Hmmmm, well that's all off now and I feel a bit left of centre now, like I missed the last train or something?? Not to mention that we started packing and there are now things in boxes that we need back out now that we are staying. On a bright note we got rid of a bit more clutter whilst doing it!!! I need something to pin my mind on though now, a target and there isn't an obvious one there! Any suggestions?!

And then there are the illnesses - Idris with bronchiolitis over Christmas, sleep deprivation anyone? Faith with a torn tendon on her finger, strike gymnastics out for six weeks then! Then Eve had came out in an impressive bout of chicken pox just before Dewi started his marathon weekend of nights that he does every week now.... step into the breach my mum who must have recognised the desperate lilt to my voice and kindly invited us for Sunday lunch!

I think that about sums it up - you know, I really do feel better and I am through the worst and on the up the other side, stronger, wiser, slightly greyer! were some magic moments in amongst the madness - quietly listening to midnight mass whilst walking with Idris in the darkness of my parent's house, reading the book 'Redeeming Love' by Francine Rivers, the baptism of our beautiful boy, and recognising how loved we are by family and friends alike.

Enjoying some good old fashioned toilet humour with Uncle John by re-telling a story from one of the Oxford Reading Tree books!

My big brother with my little boy!

Baby Play for five-month olds!

I am really enjoying Idris being more alert and playful now - he likes to play very simple games for short bursts at a time. When I thought about them, they are based around communication and repeating the same simple action over and over. I thought I would put a few of his favourite games up on the blog for others to enjoy with their babies!

• Bath play - Idris loves to watch fingers gently splashing the water, then pausing and waiting for him to respond with a sound or a movement then gently splashing again. He also loves to watch water poured from a play teapot into a measuring cup. He clasps the cup and watches the water trickle in.
• Rhymes and singing - I had a limited repertoire so found some new ideas here
• Silky see-through materials gently floated down over him - he reaches up for them and gazes through them!
• Walks - watching animals and birds and looking at plants, trees and water (and he LOVED the fish at the aquarium!).

NEWSFLASH!!!! Whilst this post was still in draft format, Idris learnt both to roll over and to babble! Unlike my girls he managed to pull his arms free straight away and he actually likes being on his tummy! The girls hated tummy time and moaned as soon as they were over but he wiggles around and plays with things and is already pushing up on his arms strongly.

The babbling appeared late on Saturday night - he was finding it hard to get to sleep (teething) and eventually at ten pm I put him down next to me in bed and settled down myself. He went crazy, wriggling and squealing and laughing and then I heard some quiet, tentative 'dah' and 'bah' sounds!! By Sunday lunchtime there was nothing quiet or tentative about them at all - more like loud and incessant!! He is very pleased with himself!!

Severn Valley Railway Fun!

We spent a day playing on the Severn Valley Railway line last week, taking advantage of an off-season offer and we had such a great day! The railway line was saved from extinction by local people and sections were purchased from British Rail over a number of years and reconstructed by volunteers. The work continues today with steam engines being saved from scrap yards and lovingly restored to chuff up and down the line between Bridgnorth and Kidderminster. All the stations are decked out with stacks of trunks/suitcases and the original waiting rooms and ticket booths - so lovely!

Our view from the first carriage - you can see the driver and the coal man looking out of the engine! Lots of people waved at us as we chuffed past, it was great fun. As it wasn't their busy season we had the carriage to ourselves so no matter when the girls squealed with delight when we saw two elephants and a rhino out of the window!! Yes really, I'm not joking - we think it might be the safari park maybe?

Faith spent ages with her head thrust out of the train window watching the steam engine and looking back along the line of carriages. The window was lowered using a leather strap and she thought that was great too, as well as the really traditional toilets with scrolly handles and wooden seats!!

Idris loved watching the world go by from the train window - steam trains are slow enough to actually enjoy the scenery as you go along! (Dewi is wearing a fleece hat that Eve made for him from one of the patterns in the sewing book that Santa brought for Christmas!).

This is Eve reaching up to pull the chain that sounds the Engine's whistle (a mock-up one in the indoor Steam Engine Museum!). Listening to the real one blow and watching it from the carriage as we rode along the tracks was a great review of the states of matter science lessons we did last year! Faith thought it was great that the driver's flask of tea (or hot chocolate as she insisted it was!) was kept on the boiler ledge to keep warm!!

Eve had a go turning the brake wheel in the brake van - he had a tiny little stove to keep him warm on the journeys!

I have to confess - I love steam trains! I love the mechanics of a steam engine and I love the nostalgia of 'the good old days' I never knew! I took a few pictures like the one above accompanied by groans from Dewi that had he known I was a closet train spotter he'd never have married me! I told him that he had my mum to thank as she loves steam engines too. That made him roll his eyes even more! There was loads of fascinating information about the engines and carriages, including the royal carriage that King George travelled around war torn Britain in! Loved it, despite the rain - see below for smudgy raindrop soaked photo of train pulling into the station!

Christmassy Fun!

Decorating the tree..... we go for an eclectic 'collected over the years' look, ranging from baubles Dewi and I found in the attic of the first flat we rented together, to home-made ones the girls crafted and everything in-between!

Yes, Dewi does have a mohawk..... don't ask..... at least it isn't blue..... yet!

Faith demonstrated the Christmas jack-in-the-box to Idris - he's a bit young to understand it right now - he just looked surprised! Faith found it hysterically funny when she was about 8 months old!

Idris exhausted by all the merriment - that is the dog's stocking hanging in the back ground. It reads 'Santa I can explain' and makes me giggle every year!

Christingle - the sweeties on Faith's just made it to the end of the service!

The lights turned out in Church for 'this little light of mine' - Faith was very enthusiastic with her orange but managed not to torch anything or anyone!

Mince pies made with wholemeal flour pastry bound together with ginger cordial - very delicious if a little softer than normal pastry. They didn't make it past the one hour mark though so can't have been too bad!!!!

Face painting Fun

I took the girls to a Birthday Party this week. Let it be said that I am not a fan of children's parties - I won't go into it here in case I offend anyone but I much prefer our special 'Birthday Days Out' that we do for the children's special days!

I digress...... inside the party bags were a mini face painting kit with red, black and white paints and some ideas. Of course the girls wanted to try them out so as soon as we got home we broke out the paints and a lot of silliness ensued! This is Eve who wanted to be that cat (painted by me!)

 This is me, painted by Faith who decided I should be a ladybird...... what a great job she did!

 This is Faith as a ladybird.... painted by Dewi...... she went to check on his efforts in the mirror and declared "hmmmm, it's very nice but would be better with more spots I think!"..... more spots duly added!

And this is Eve painting Dewi. She wanted to make him the 'scarecrow' a.k.a ghost and I can't put the finished face on here because it was truly quite disturbing once finished!

The funniest part of the whole silly scenario were the things the girls came out with!

As I painted Eve's face I commented on how very long her eyelashes were to which she replied "Good, just like a camel, only they have two sets cos they can't wear sun hats!"...... what?? Where did THAT come from??!!

And then Faith was painting me and I reminded her to be gentle around my eyes and told her that the skin was delicate there to which SHE replied "that's cos you're old now mum!"..... what?? WHAT?? Er...... hello? I'M 30!!!!

Dewi and I were in fits of giggles the whole way through which the girls enjoyed even more than the actual painting I think!!

Snowflake Thank You Notes



Every year I have very good intentions of having the children write to say thank you for their presents but each year it somehow doesn't quite get done as I planned, with me doing most of the writing! It must seem an awfully daunting task to small children I think so this year I am planning ahead and making it achievable from the get-go!

I found these snowflake templates and edited them to carry a thank you message. They were then printed at half size, glued to sheets of card with lined paper glued to the back, enhanced with glitter glue and then cut out ready to go straight after Christmas!