Catching up

Catch-up on:

Bonfire Weekend
Physio
J's Birthday
Socializing (MonsterTeeny; Grandma Janice and Music & Movement; Grandpa Clive; Katya, Ria and Belle; Glo, Shula, J and J)

Bonfire weekend:
Our house guests arrived on Friday 4th for the weekend - they are some of the most relaxing house guests we ever have - I would willingly have them more often, but at least we have a regular once-a-year date for bonfire weekend. I had already relaxed enough before they arrived to decide not to hoover, and it was all relaxation from there on. On Friday night we drank good wine, chatted, watched some comedy. On Saturday we went into town for a few items and saw the signs of the bonfire preparations - big 'No POPERY' banner across street, people in various coloured stripy jumpers to show their allegiance to different bonfire societies, etc. A general air of things afoot. In the early evening we all went up to the 'children's' procession, so-called despite involving flaming tar barrels and very loud bangs, fiery torches being dropped in street inches from small people's noses etc. They get it right though, there were apparently only 4 casualties and 8 arrests out of 70,000 or so people. 5 or 6 bonfire societies took part in 30 or so processions and then dispersed with crowds following to their various bonfire sites to throw fireworks at people dressed as bishops for a bit before lighting vast bonfires and giving themselves up to pyrotechnical excess that shook the house. By that stage F and I were back home, watching a bit through the windows. She did really well at the procession this year though, seemed to really enjoy it. Our economy drive suffered at the hands of those selling coloured flashing LED doodads though - irresistible I'm afraid. J and house guests found several good spots for watching fireworks including one where something landed very close to them, so they returned with lively tales to tell.

Physio:
I had had a few worries about F's balance and patterning in the 2 or 3 weeks preceding F's physio review appt. but then in the last week F had been showing signs of getting over whatever it was (suspect a combination of a bad fall, too small shoes, vaccinations, bad sleep, 2 growth spurts in quick succession - Faith the physio confirmed that growth spurts are likely culprit). And sure enough, Faith said she still has good range in her ankle and shoulder and various other areas. She did lots of balancing and holding things in her difficult hand, reaching beyond her comfort zone, etc. At the moment it seems like she's capable of doing pretty much everything she should be able to, but does avoid some things, so it would be helpful to encourage more of the difficult things, to keep the function and range developing well. It was a very reassuring visit.

J's birthday:
Lots of presents were purchased with one click, some on behalf of the grandmas, and all arrived in good time. F helped with the wrapping which mainly involved her jumping on the bed, perhaps to filter out anything heavy or breakable. Fortunately the more vulnerable items were packaged in 'manly' durable plastic carrying cases - you know the kind of plastic that is really trying to look like stone, for that extra masculine feel. He also got books and CDs and DVDs. Nice prezzies actually. J always takes time off for birthdays and so we have been having a cosy time, not getting up till 10 or so on many days, taking it easy together, relaxing with family films and reading and cuddles. Bliss! On his actual birthday we had a Chinese takeaway from the new local place and watched Robots all together (economy drive schmeconomy drive, I'm afraid). It was lovely. I love family snuggly times like that.

Socializin'

MonsterTeeny:
MonsterTeeny visited us and took advantage of our excellent 'all about hazardous items' autonomous learning resources - a dried chilli full of seeds found somewhere in the conservatory, bubble soap and various batteries and lighters (next time I really must prepare better and put the bleach and slug pellets out somewhere nice and low too, maybe with some alcohol) - it's a free course, if anyone else fancies partaking at any time. Anyway, seriously, sorry D, you were very brave! Still not sure where they found the chilli, maybe climbing was involved, bless 'em.
F had also filled her outrageous purple bead drawer thing (very girly, opens out like a flower with curvy heart shaped purple drawers all round) with milk! Ms MonsterTeeny helped me with the damage limitation and of course we managed to chat extensively and satisfactorily between various small people requirements.

Grandma Janice came on Tuesday and F and she planted a bulb in the garden as well as various other activities - F did have a strop or two but not too bad. I was working to a tight deadline. The new arrangement of Grandma Janice coming every 2 weeks on Tuesday is good as she gets to accompany us to Music and Movement, and we get to walk her to the corner near the station, and I feel less like I haven't seen her at all when she goes. It does mean I have to be disciplined if I have a deadline, in order to finish it in time to leave for M&M, but that's all to the good. F really enjoys M&M, and this week for the first time did the expected response in the little musical exercise they do at the start introducing themselves.

Grandpa Clive (J's dad) came and birthday items were given - his birthday is just before J's and he was 60. J's presents from him had arrived earlier too, also purchased online - grandpa's first time on Amazon, he used J's wish-list.

Katya, Ria and Belle came round - Katya and I agreed that even though it's nice to see 'the others' - a couple of other local mum's and their 4 kids - we need to make sure we always have our own separate socials too. She's a funny, warm friend and her kids are great characters. I really hope this friendship continues through the diverging paths we will be taking - her children are at nursery and will go to school, she has work away from home, while we are pretty firmly on the HE track and I will probably always work at home now.

Glo and Shula came over a few days ago with J and J, their two, who are settling in with them well now, I think. Again, I don't want to blog them too much at this stage - privacy is needed I think. It was lovely to see them though.

Apart from all the above, F has mainly been playing her own imaginative games, watching Cinderella and The Backyardigans a lot, had a few good trips to park (! P.A.R.K), she's been climbing and balancing like mad, I guess partly to readjust after these growth spurts, glittering, leappadding and CBeebiesing. All the usual. We have quite a lot of conversations about sounds and letters and words these days, she likes playing 'what part of your body rhymes with...' and that kind of thing - I showed her the words 'bat', 'rat' and 'cat' written down and with a bit of steering she soon noticed that they all had the same ending and connected that with them sounding the same. She still does that much-documented thing that many other blogring 4 and 5-yr olds do which is quite funny - on the rare occasion that I point at the word 'cat' and sound out the letters 'c' 'a' 't' to her, first slowly and then getting quicker a few times. Beaming at me and visibly giving the matter her full attention, she says, in triumphant tones: 'dog'! Now, why does that happen? It's almost as if saying 'cat' is too easy, she thinks it must be harder than it is or something. She doesn't have the expression of deliberate joking, or I would think it was that. Have read on blogring and elsewhere of many other children doing this at this age. It is funny, and intriguing.