Muddle Puddle real life visit

Today
was great, a happy relaxed sociable day. Nic came over with Davies and Scarlett (not blogonyms, but I can make some up if necessary!), first time we have met, and I really enjoyed the visit. Highlights for F were probably playing hide and seek and chasing around generally, in some Lunch Monster game they invented. Highlights for me were plenty of chatting time with Nic, excellent, I felt really relaxed with her and hope she did too. And seeing Davies doing exciting advanced 4-yr old stuff like drawing really good representational pictures of Dozy Mog and a rabbit, and finding better ways and places to hide than F does. Scarlett was a sweetheart too.
I do wish F had behaved a bit better at times but she always has wobbly moments with new children, and she was certainly delighted to play some of the time. I also wish she hadn't peed on my nice red rug at some point. Although to be honest it did need a trip through the wash.
I loved the fact that three different aged children all at different times came up with their own ideas for initiating activity and play. Each of them at some point suggested or initiated an activity that the others followed up. That seems very healthy. They're all quite confident, strong characters, all in their own ways. Full of ideas and confident enough to express them.
We've planned to try a regular meet-up every fortnight too which should be good. Also Nic must be a bringer of good luck as almost as soon as she arrived, an e-mail came in offering me a lovely chunk of work, just what was needed to bring April up to a decent level. And to properly try out my new laptop!

Yesterday
Grandma Julia came over for the afternoon. She gave F a really nice pair of binoculars (x10). Great for looking out of F's window at the trees behind the house. This morning we saw a squirrel. F will need to practise focusing them, another complex 2-handed activity that may be more difficult for her than for some others. F was mainly in XBox mode, but Grandma Julia seemed OK with that, and even had a go at the Wallace and Gromit game. I think the weekend that we go away, she and F will be OK together. Just worked out that it's less than 3 weeks away, so I really must get organized.