Playing with my sister

We met up with Aunty Ali at Lanark Loch on Thursday for a play in the park and lunch. Beth is brilliant at climbing stairs and loves the chute. The only problem is the toddler who is knocking her over to get on the slide first. Neive honey watch out -it wont be too long till she's faster than you and what goes around comes around:)



The girls great Aunty Margaret made some gorgeous little dresses for Neive. She looks very pretty in pink until you see her legs that look like a spotted Dalmatian. There are about 3 plasters in each leg (not attractive) and a bunch of bruises.





The girls have been getting on great - Beth looks at Neive likes she's the bees knees and copies everything she does. She follows her from room to room and laughs her head off when Neive tickles her. We got a book out of the library Thursday morning called Big sister and little sister. It's brilliant it has a brown haired big sister and a little blond haired sister. It shows the big sister doing all these different activties like swimming and the little sister splashing in the water and Neive kept saying "just like me and baby" with a big smile on her face. She knows what a big important job being a big sister is. She's doing a great job.

My little girls all grown up!

Every woman knows the right of passage to becoming a proper little lady is when you can do the towel thing! I have no idea why it confounds a man - look even a two year old can do it!

Messy Play

Someone thought it would be a good idea to run a messy play session at toddlers (Charlene!). There's a reason it's called messy play and I don't think anyone can imagine 30 kids and messy play. The kids loved it! There was bubble water, corn flakes, cold baked beans (Baulk! Beth scooped loads of them) rice, pasta and paint.



It was the foot prints that sent the mess into overdrive.



Plus Beth and Daniels favourite game was pouring the water out the baby baths, at one point the floor looked like a river.



It's brilliant that the toddlers will run sessions like this. All the mums chip in with the mess and your house doesn't get trashed.




After we were cleaned up Beth was riding a didicar. She was getting it to go all by herself - much to her delight.

Ben and Gordons Birthday

Ben and Gordon share the same birthday and this year we headed to Granny chickens for a family BBQ. Neive always loves spending time with her cousins. It was great to have us all together again. Dad was working hard on the Barbey and just as we sat down to tuck in the heavens opened. It was a mad dash to get all the food indoors (which was a lot of fun for the kids). That's Ben 11 (unbelievable) and Gordon 33 (much more believable)

The Waverley - 20th Aug

My cousin Lou bought F and I tickets for the Waverley on Friday night. It leaves from outside the Glasgow science centre and is a pretty busy boat. It's basically a booze cruise and takes you all the way to Campbelltown and back. It's a beautiful boat and you can even see the engine room and paddles working. It's pretty impressive.




We had some dinner and quite a few drinks too. I took a shawl and f was sure I'd be freezing - okay I was by the end of the night but never let on to F. I took some photos of the beautiful scenery down the clyde - yes it's a rubbish tip.



There was even a beautiful wee bay where some people were fishing. In total typical Glaswegian style they all mooned the boat on mass. Glasgow!

Under 5s 18th Aug

Neive tried out the local under 5's on Wednesday. She really enjoyed it. There was only 4other kids there, which is much quieter than she is used to, but I think that's why she enjoyed it so much. The play leader asked if I wanted to stay to make sure she settled - I said hell no, told Neive goodbye and ran out of there as fast as I could. Much to their surprise she settled great but she is totally used to that environment between ballet, toddlers, play dates, nursery. We will definitely be going back.

Back to school 16th Aug

Due to the high maintenance of Neive recently (moods) I gave toddlers a miss and went to the park (where I could whip her home if there was any misbehaving). I'm not being too hard on her - even my mum and dad will tell you she's been in an awful mood recently and they always say the sun shines out her bum. Anyway at the park, funnily enough, we bumped into Alison, Isla and Leah. So we invited them home for play and lunch. I had promised Neive hot dogs for lunch (not a healthy meat). Leah and Isla loved them, much to our surprise. Don't know how happy Alison is going to be serving them up often though. Both Neive and Isla love their bling and make up - they are very similar in their worshiping of princesses. Granny and granpa popped in for lunch too and when the girls came back down stairs they were looking gorgeous. It's the end of the school hoildays so Ballet is back on and everyone had to leave for 2 so we could head. Neive was as good as gold all day. Especially at the ballet. She loves it.

For Becky it was the first day at school. They all looked so smart in their school uniforms and Laura and Gordon are as proud as punch.

Mummy and Neivey 15th Aug

Neive loves tinkerbell and there is a new movie out. Neive and I haven't had a day with just the two of us since Beth was born. So I thought we could have a wee girly day out to the pics. We headed to toys r us to play with the toys. Neive wanted to sit on the bike and she tried to ride it (it has stabilisers on it) and shockingly she can ride it. I have no idea who taught her. I think she has strong legs and that is half the battle. She did two laps of the store and now I'm desperate to get her a bike. I have to wait till at least her birthday. We bought two sets of fairy wings one for me and one for Neive. Since she's been ill she has been playing up a lot. It takes nothing to turn her happy go lucky mood sour! I had really been looking forward to mother and daughter time but on the way to the cinema she melted down. It took me 20 minutes to get her to stop shouting and apologies to me. We were slightly late for the cinema by this point. The film was great and we had lunch at pizza hut. I wish I had headed home before the pizza hut! I could hardly keep her on her seat and called for the bill quickly. She slept all the way home and then some. Maybe next time :(

Steady now

Okay you'll never believe it but at 10 months old Beth is on her feet and walking, balancing and turning. It's pretty early and if you hold her hand she thinks she can run. Now everyone will think I'm so happy but she is taking some serious knocks. I just don't have eyes at the back of my head. She even tried to mount a toddler car and drive it. I managed to just catch her that time. I caught her half the way up a playframe on the stairs (Not proper ones but thin wood for gripping only). Okay - I'm glowing with pride really. She has the biggest smile on her face because she knows she is doing a great job.

Diarrhea 10th -14th Aug

So you’ll have noticed how far behind I go with my blog recently. First it was my birthday and I was away or enjoying myself too much. Then came the sickness. Neive and Beth have diarrhea and sickness and I feel like I've got the flu (without the runny nose - I‘m sure it‘s just exhaustion) Poor Neive is back in nappies for the week until things improve - poor soul. Wednesday morning we were getting changed in the morning and she tripped and fell on her bum. She obviously wasnt expecting the pressure and you can imagine the state of my carpet. We've been in all week from Tuesday to Sunday as we didn't want any accidents.

Marmaduke

We're real winners again. This time F called up the radio show for cinema tickets for the premiere of Marmaduke and won. Daddy wanted to spend some quality time with Beth and decided to take her swimming. So Neive, Granny chickens and myself had a girlie trip to the cinema. We all put on our lip gloss and got dressed up nice. Neive was very excited. They had these kiddy snack boxes for sale so granny chickens bought both Neive and I one each. I don't think I'll ever be too big for a kids snack box in my mums eyes. I loved every minute of it and especially enjoyed playing with my free spy kits that came along with it.

Goodbye Sean and Louise 7th Aug

Granny and Granpa chickens looked after Neive and Beth while mummy and daddy went to Edinburgh to say goodbye to Louise and Sean. They are heading home to New Zealand after 6 years of staying in Scotland. They also have some exciting news. Louise is due a baby early next year. We can't wait to come over to visit and we wish them all the best for the future.

New Shoes! 6th Aug

Neive inherited a bunch of dressing up outfits from her cousins and decided to be cow boy today. I really like that she is open to dressing up in something other than a dress. I was getting worried for a while there. All of a sudden pink is what girls wear and blue is for boys. Dresses are for girls and jeans are for boys. I don't know where it comes from? Nature v nuture!



We headed to Edinburgh to see daddy, meet for lunch and go shoe shopping - Neives favourite. Both girls were due shoes - Beths first pair. She's the same width of foot as Neive but needed a smaller soes size as she's on her feet early. As daddy didn't finish for ages and ages I took the girls to the beach.



Beth is getting really steady on her feet. I was quite impressed I managed to get a photo of her standing with no support.


Unfortunately she did fall over 5 seconds later.

Summer holidays 1st-3rd August

As the girls cousins were still on their summer holidays we invited them to stay for a while. There were too many people for the car so we stayed around the village. We went a walk through the woods and I like to tell crazy stories like "there's where the trolls live" and "that's the car that got hit by the whomping willow". Zack was totally gullible and asked a million questions about the whomping willow.



I got Neive to take some photos of us all. It's a heavy camera so for a two year old I'm pretty impressed.


The kids favourite part was definitely the puddles. I swear they were trying to go for a swim in some of them. Needless to say my bathroom was totalled that night.



Becky, Zack and Ben are all loved up on there baby cousin and are always looking after her. She got a ton of cuddles and pushes on the swing. The kids were great the whole time. It was really enjoyable and I hope they had a good time too.

Carnwath Show 30th July

So Carwath show isn’t as much fun when it is pouring down with rain. As F was off and we have been busy out and about I didn’t put any entries in this year. Girls I promise we'll spend hours on our cookie decorating next year. Neive was engrossed in the Highland dancing. I think she'd love to give it a go however her daddy has other ideas. He found out that the outfits cost as much as 400 pounds - so he'll never allow it. We didn’t stay too long but we had to see Jay showing his very own calf.



He did ever so well and kept the cow under complete control and for the last time Neive -we are not getting a cow!. After we headed to Edinburgh for a play date/bbq at Alastairs and Catherines house. What a difference an hours drive makes. It was totally dry and warm in Edinburgh. They have a massive back garden and could run about till their hearts were content. Beth is always on the go and you can hardly get a minutes peace. She always heads for the steps or electrical socket. It’s like she's programmed for danger?

30th July

We spent the afternoon at granny chickens house. They have a little tykes car and Neive would push Beth about in it and then demand a push herself. It was slightly unfair though - not only did Beth have more weight to push but she had to do 20 minute shifts versus Neive’s one push up and down the garden. It is lovely seeing them play so well together. Neive really can’t wait to have a fully interactive friend.

Polkemet Park 29th July

Fraser took the rest of the week off and we went to Polkemment park to do some ceramic painting. We went a walk by the river. The grounds are lovely and the park is loads of fun. Neive loves spending time playing with her daddy but after a week she gets very upset when he has to go back to work.

Isla's Birthday 27th July

Hard to believe but Isla has turned 3. Where does the time go. They held a party at almond valley heritage park. It was mermaid themed as this is her favourite. We all chipped in to get her a Giselle dress. She really is a princess.



Alison made a fabby mermaid cake with blue icing. You could tell everyone who had enjoyed a piece as they had a bright blue tongue.





We had a picnic birthday lunch in the picnic barn. Alison made way too much and there was hardly a table left for anyone else to use.




We all had a great day and Alison was very impressed her house was mess free. Birthday parties away from the house is the way to go.

Forest Hills - 25th/26th July

F paid for us to have an overnight away at the hotel we got married in. It brings back such happy memories and we try to go every year. On they way there we headed to Stirling where F gave me his credit card to go shopping. Once we checked in we had drinks on the veranda at the front of the hotel. Unbelievably it was beautiful weather and back home is was cold and raining.



We walked to Kinlochard to call home. That’s the wonderful thing about Kinlochard no phone reception. We wnet for drinks and dinner and I order the exact same meal we had for our wedding dinner. Then we went for a swim -we’ll I floated in the water - same thing really. They had a folk singer playing Scottish songs in the bar. Next day we had a slap up breakfast and F paid for me to get a full body massage - bliss!! Mum and dad came over with an Indian for my birthday dinner from Biggar (my favourite).