Happy 2nd Birthday

A little belatedly but ‘Happy Birthday’ to my first born.  Yes, Éowyn celebrated her second birthday last Sunday, although in true style she celebrated it all weekend and hence no updates!

As my family are still primarily based in the West Midlands and since Nanny Fran is still unable to drive, we headed to West Bromwich so that Éowyn could see her Nanny and Auntie Liz.  We also took this opportunity to introduce Amélie to her Great-Grandma and to the husband of her namesake, her Great-Great Uncle Albert.  Both enjoyed extended cuddles with Amélie but Éowyn was a little subdued, although she did have excuses.  At Great-Grandma’s nursing home I think it is a little overwhelming to enter the common room and I think it freaked her out a little and hung onto Daddy’s leg for protection.  While on the way to Great-Great Uncle Albert’s she fell asleep and so we had to wake her and I don’t think that anyone is at their best when they have just been woken up.

We were only at Nanny Fran’s for a little over 24 hours but I think that Éowyn completely wore out her Nanny Fran.  Éowyn was so excited all along the motorway and couldn’t wait to get out of the car when we arrived at West Bromwich.  She bounded into the house said ‘hello’ then headed for the toy corner and made herself at home.  Nanny Fran was a star and looked after Amélie overnight so that we could have a (fairly) uninterrupted night’s sleep to try and put some hours back into the sleep bank.

We headed back home Saturday afternoon and while my 3 girls snoozed I managed to listen to another fine performance of West Bromwich Albion battling back from a two goal deficit at half time to draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford!  The first time in Premier League history that Manchester United have let a 2-0 score slip at home in the Premier League (although they did let a 3-1 score slip to Chelsea in 2000).  Amélie only knows West Bromwich Albion as a top 6 Premier League team.  Boing Boing!  (It can’t last can it?)

Sunday, (Éowyn’s birthday) we headed the couple of hundred metres up the road to Lucinda’s parents for Sunday roast with Lucinda’s immediate family and the girls’ cousins.  Éowyn loves to play with her cousins including poor Finley who will soon feel left out as the only boy in the group.  In fact he is the only great-grandchild of Granddad Badger (Lucinda’s granddad), outnumbered 10 to 1.  However, if we take into account the second cousins then the ratio becomes a little more respectable 11 to 2, still the Cathrall family name is reliant on only two males to carry the name forward.  I know the feeling.  My Grandfather Bagnall had five sons, who between them have had 5 girls and me.  It is probably the reason that I am interested in my family history but I think my girls are going to have to keep their surname for this branch of the Bagnall line to carry into the future.

I will leave the update there as this post is a little belated and as I am now back at work you will have to tune in next week to fine out how that is going.

Peace and love

Baggie