Pizza, Clay, Terrorism, Pee

HE:
Various references to letters and sounds, lego patterns, symmetry, discussion of sharks which led to fish/mammals/birds/insects, briefly (fortunately undertaken by J, since that kind of thing just makes me want to do the Monty Python sketch). Pizza-making and clay. I love clay. Pizza made with the new vegan mozzarella was just delicious, and she really did do a lot of the making this time, stirring the mix, kneading the dough, rolling and adding toppings. Last time we did this a few months ago, she didn't really do much of it, and we had almost constant arguments. This time she did most of it and we only had one row near the end. She generally was interested and involved, which was great.
Clay: I love clay. I forget until I actually get the chance to use some, but it's one of the few arty things I really relax with and enjoy. She asked me to make some models of Dozy Mog and of a shark (J brought a shark toy home - promotional item from hardware company), so I did, but also showed her how to make a thumb pot, since she showed interest. So she made her first thumb pot, and I looked at it and thought I want to keep that forever, and it could go on her bookshelf in her room, maybe. Later that evening she trashed it for some reason that she hasn't yet communicated. I was quite sad. But anyway, we will do clay regularly I think - it is really good for working with her 'difficult' hand, and it's one of those activities that I enjoy too. In fact I think we could try a few more crafts, now that she is showing that she can listen a bit more and sometimes accept guidance, rather than throwing a wobbly about not doing it her own way every 5 minutes. A friend sent me a vast quantity of ideas which I will sift through when I get the time (Thanks HH! *wave*). It's difficult to get the balance of showing/guiding as opposed to her feeling too controlled. I always thought I was OK at letting her find her way around new materials, etc., but maybe I shouldn't even have shown her how to make a thumb pot, but then again she did seem interested. (*squirms around in self-tying would-be-autonomous knots like an over-self-analyzing idiot*)
She insisted I make the shark's mouth go the happy way up, not the sad way.
Life:
Some kind of major incident is unfolding in London today. Appears to be terrorist activity. Yesterday, London was euphoric with the news of the Olympics. Now this, as the G8 summit opens. Sad and frightening.
Think I'll take refuge in putting together F's 'baby book' - when I was pregnant we bought a nice green scrapbook thing and started collecting pictures and info from pregnancy to go into it, intending to keep it up after she was born, but then there was the discovery a few days after her birth that she had suffered a stroke, there was the uncertainty about the outcome, and then as it became apparent that it was all going to be pretty much OK, at least that we were going to survive, there was just the everyday busy time of having a baby, then toddler, physiotherapy and not getting enough sleep, and a bit of delayed shock to deal with. Well, those are all excuses I know, but today, for whatever reason, I want to sit down and put pictures and cuttings etc. in her book.

Lowlights: Terrorism, pee on the carpet, attempting to get a 4-yr old to start potty/toilet training.
Highlights: Pizza-making, Clay.