We got all the way up there and then had a bit of a picnic with the kids. Squidge was being a PITA about eating– suddenly she didn’t like sausages or tomatoes!  WTF kid you’d normally eat those without a problem.  So after threatening her (cuz that’s how I roll, although I will have to be careful or someone might arrest me) she ate enough to satisfy me.

After a bit of running around in the tall grass it was time to head back down.  It was a bit nerve wracking as it was very very steep but we all made it down in one piece.

Then it was time for the real reason we went there story time.  Squidge is crazy for stories so I knew it was going to be a big hit, I was just surprised at how big a hit it was.  There were no books the woman just read from memory.

I thought she was going to be bored but it ended up being the best ever as there was nothing to distract her.  The last time we went to storytime at the library the woman reading was very cross w/ Squidge.  She was soo irritated that at the end she refused to read the last book and just ended it rather abruptly.  I was a little upset about it because the story time is for preschoolers so she can’t expect them to be perfect little angels and LORD KNOWS Squidge is no angel.  All she was really doing was saying she had a certain book or why was this/that happening.   So I’ve been working on her about this– chatting to her about how she can’t interrupt the person reading and to stay sitting down– yah know that sort of thing.  This is usually pretty difficult for Squidge when they have interactive type books– open picture windows or pull tabs– she want to do it all the time.  Do I interrupt and tell her to sit down during the story or do I wait until after and have a chat w/ her.  SO anyhoo off track here but this time she was pretty good.  Not too much talking.  C & N got tired of it after about 3 stories (I don’t blame them so was I!!) but not Squidge she stayed for over an hour listening to the woman repeating the same stories over and over.  I’m wondering if the fact that I usually have CD versions of her books playing in the car helped her stay focused.  She was paying attention too because later on I asked her what her favorite story she told me.  She also was able to tell me a bit about the actual story.  Not bad for a 3 yr old and no book. I’m very proud of her.  Now if only she would following direction when there’s a book involved. *sigh* baby steps. baby steps.

While Squidge was being entertained the rest of us were off to the side enjoying the sun and kicking balls around and making friends.  Then it was off to a playground for bigger kids (5+) were we didn’t have a very good view of the equipment so it wasn’t as relaxing as it might have been.

We walked around and ended up in Styl village and just have a very pleasent day. Not much there but a few houses and a couple of churches.  So it was back down the path to the cars.

It was  bit pricey (£4 carpark, £5 garden (so not worth it) admission) but really we would have spent that much if we had gone to a soft play area and this way they got to enjoy the fantastic weather.  We need to get out there while we have it because lord knows it will probably rain again soon enough!

The weather here has been fantastic!  Have I ever mentioned how much winter sucks?  It’s been gray and miserable since November (or am I repressing the craptastic August weather?!?!) and it makes for a cold damp and dreary winter.  My morning walks are soo much nicer now that the sun is shining.  I’m doing a little running, and when I say a little I really do mean a little- like I run down ONE street then I huff and puff and get all woozy from the effort!  Still, as my friend Wendy used to tell me– meolinhos são pão or something like that.  

I’m still struggling w/ Squidge and her defiance.  I have to remind myself that she is only 2 1/2 and that I have to give her some slack but geeze!  She’s been having ‘accidents’ here and there.  Last week she spent an entire day peeing herself.  Then yesterday she pooped in the tub!  This was after she had gone and used the toilet about 8 times that day– yes people we schlept up the stairs EIGHT times in 2 hours.  Apparently she can’t move 3 feet from the tub to the toilet!!  AAAARGH!!!  She did that once when she was about 6 months old and now she does it when she is well and truly potty trained?!?!??!  AAARGH!!!  Today she pooped her pants while we were out w/ friends.  It really frustrates me because she knows what she is doing.  Anyhoo I got really upset with her because not only did she poop her pants (which I did not get angry with her about– last time I got angry with her for pooping her pants she started to hide from me whenever she needed to poop– yah that was fun) but when we had to leave she threw a toy across the room.  POOF!! My head just about exploded over that one.  I wish sooo much I was one of those calm soothing mamas that never lose their cool.  I just don’t think I’m wired that way.  OK back to the point.  We’ve been out walking and getting out more since the weather had a turn for the better.

We have been going to the library on Monday afternoons for story time.  Squidge looooooves books and gets a bit peeved when the woman stops reading.  It’s a mix of reading and singing but Squidge would be happy if the woman just sat there and just read non stop for 30 minutes.  We also went to a different library today (Tuesday) for more story time– this one is straight reading and she was much happier. 

I’m also thinking about putting her in nursery/daycare one day a week.  I think she needs to socialize without me around running interference.  I tend to get involved too much when she is around other children.  She is a bit of a bossy boots and I tend to run interference instead of just letting things run it’s course.   Not so much because I think that she is being bad but because I don’t want other kids/parents to think she is a bully. I’m heading to a local nursery tomorrrow to see when we can get her in for a full day, preferably a Wednesday.

Hope everyone’s spring is sprunging for them!

this is a horrible picture. Bad light and out of focus. It’s what I get for waiting until 7ish to take my 7 days photo. I tried to save it with some creative processing so it only sucks a little less.

I don’t usually join in on bloggy contests but this one really spoke to me.  The contest asks that we post a photograph that really speaks to you.  I took this while on Cape Cod this summer.  Wal and I had decided to go for a bit of a drive to Chatham.  On the way back I found this little inlet with grasses growing along the shore.  It’s what I think of when I think of the cape.  It reminds me of the fantastic time I had this summer.  If you’re interested in joining in just pop over to Aimee’s blog, Greeblemonkey.

We all trooped out to Manchester Airport for a bit of plane spotting.  The weather forcast called for heavy rain but this didn’t appear to worry them even though I did mention the weather forcast a couple (dozen) times.  When we got there is was coooooold.  It’s very open and flat (as you’d expect what with it being an airport and all) so the wind just whipped around.  The kids didn’t appear to mind.

I took some really nice photos of planes although I felt like a complete fraud, you should see some of the lenses these guys have.

So then it was lunch time.  Just in time for the rain and booy did it rain.  My picnic blanket which I had optomistically packed sat in the trunk unused.

We all piled into our cars (well Byrney piled into my car as she had been dropped off and was planning on taking the train home) and ate lunch.  We were all wet and steamy.  Apparently the only thing stopping it from being a truly authentic english picnic was the lack of sand.

Oh and a flask of hot tea.