Bentley and Galore Park

Sunday

I think Sunday was probably very short and didn't have much in it. F did sea animal impressions in the bath to distract herself from the horror of hair brushing with conditioner. I was impressed how many different animals she managed.

I cooked nice mini-roast potatoes and carrots, which we had with sausages and chilli sauce.

Can't remember anything else except staying up most of the night working and going to bed about 7 or 8 in the morning.

Monday

J's dad Grampa C came and we went out for a meal. Having had 3 hours sleep, I woke up to hear J telling F there wasn't much time as Grampa arrives fairly promptly. He offered the time-saving solution that she should eat her breakfast in the bath - and she did! I vaguely remember we used to do that sometimes when J and JH were art students and I lived with them for a while. She was quite amused.

Sure enough Grampa C arrived before we'd managed to get her out of the bath. Nor had we signed his birthday card (his birthday is a few days before J's). So J did hospitality and I hustled F and I through the necessary actions and eventually we came downstairs and then Grampa C opened his prezzies from us all and then J opened his prezzies from his dad and we went out to Pizza Express. Had a really lovely meal (I chose pink fizz to drink, not usually my thing but was worried I'd fall asleep on red wine), and Grampa bought F 2 books - 2 Horrible Histories ones (Tudors and Stuarts and 20th Century).

Had a little walk afterwards, just to the bottom of the High Street and back.

Tuesday

Was a day out at Bentley with local home-ed families - over 20 children, good turn-out. There was a brief workshop session on Saxon houses and fire-making, but most of the time was free to wander, which was much enjoyed by all. Pics are on Facebook.

Had plenty of chances to sit and chat whilst F was off playing or walking ahead, she didn't much want me there, was in a bit of a tetchy mood with me.

I managed to rant at other people's children, giving them a nice lecture on reasons not to do repetitive high-pitched screaming at the top of your voice in a woodland setting, thank you very much. I just hate that lack of care for animals. Not sure how that went down but I don't think anyone ostracised me! Although it is just possible that I wouldn't notice...

Today

F had last Forest School session of the term (we think). They had a good walk in the woods, spotting carvings on some trees, plus usual fire-making and hot chocolate and such. She does enjoy Forest School. 

When she came home, she played Professor Layton for a while, then she and I looked at some new Galore Park books! My friend C and I are slightly channelling HHaricot (!) and we've both bought some GP books - F and I had a look at the History one today, and she liked it. She answered questions about a timeline and drew her timeline of her own life and major events (she chose learning to walk, learning to talk, moving to Lewes, meeting E, breaking her arm, first sleepover and a few others). 

I have been feeling lately she needs a bit more of a challenge to engage her at times. Not just books, but they're part of it. We're starting by looking at them together and will see how it goes. To me it felt a bit too teachery, the role I was in, but I think that could change and become more of a reading it and doing it together feel as we get used to the books.

Other general things the days have gone to:

F has played a lot of Mario, but now firmly absorbed in Prof. Layton, though needing help with a few of the puzzles now and then.

She has suddenly got good at telling us what she's done when she's been out without us. This week she told J all about the Bentley day out in detail, and told both of us a reasonable amount about Forest School too. 

She is still going out on scooter on dry days and has LED armbands for when it's getting dark. She really relishes that freedom.

She is really random with sleep at the moment, sometimes wakes early, sometimes sleeps in, sometimes reads in the middle of the night, etc.

Can't remember if I already blogged that she asked about bear-baiting, cock-fighting and similar mentioned in her history book. Also she and I looked at big roller coasters on YouTube and clutched each other in horror and enjoyed being glad that nobody could ever make us go on them.