February 2010

Yet again, work and other factors have prevented me from an update until now. Yes, nigh on three weeks have passed without word or photo hoisted upon the screen. We are a very busy family! Actually that is probably not quite true at the moment. Lucinda’s and my working days are in opposition at the moment, so we are not seeing a lot of each other and the days off that we do have are, quite rightly, hogged by Éowyn.

Éowyn is going through one of those phases of rapid skill acquisition and development. I am finding this quite fun. Since our last update she has learnt:

to climb the stairs (not good for a 16 month old) and climb down the stairs (essential considering the first skill);
recognise pictures and videos of monkeys and do an impression (ooo-ooo);
recognise fish and do an impression (the mouthing of the word ‘bob’);
recognise ducks (and say a word that sounds as if she is saying ‘duck’ and ‘quack’ at the same time);
understand more complicated phrases such as ‘take your shoes off’ or ‘get your coat’ and action them;
eat a whole peeled banana, now refusing sliced banana;
and climb onto the settee to sit next to you;

Not bad for three weeks. She has also used Skype for the first time to ‘talk to” and see her Nanny Fran and Auntie Liz. I think that Nanny Fran had more difficulties with Skype than Éowyn. She didn’t really understand it at first (Éowyn not Nanny Fran) and I think was more fascinated by her own video picture in the bottom corner than Nanny Fran and Aunite liz on the big screen. But soon accepted it as normal and gave Nanny Fran and Auntie Liz a kiss (leaving dribble all over the screen), then made them a cup of tea with her tea set and tried to give it to them. I think that Nanny Fran really enjoyed it as although she saw a lot of Éowyn over Christmas she has not seen her since 2nd January. We will have to make amends.

Last week Éowyn caught a slight case of conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis is a very contagious disease and so it is imperative to clear the infection quickly, therefore we made a timely trip to the doctors to get a prescription for eyedrops. Éowyn was incredibly brave, lying down to let you put the drops into her eye, we feared it was going to be a struggle but I think she knew that they were for the best. Unfortunately our childminder will not take children while the infection is contagious (which is fair) and so Nanny and Granddad came to our rescue. She thoroughly enjoyed herself especially in the garden with Granddad, to the point of throwing a mini tantrum when Nanny asked her to come in. She is also a big fan of Harvey (their West Highland Terrier) although he is more nonplussed about her.

During a break in the wet weather we took Éowyn to the garden centre in the village (I know what you are thinking – those adventure seeking junkies!) to take a wander around their extensive pet section (it is cheaper than the zoo!). They have a wide range of fish, arachnida (Tarantulas and Scorpions to you), lizards, snakes, birds and rodents (rats, guinea pigs, degu, chincilla, gerbils, mice, hamsters, etc) and lagomorphs (rabbits). She was most interested in the fish (‘bob’) and wasn’t interested in the mammals at all. I am of the firm belief that it is good for children to have pets, it makes them take responsibility and in the case of the short lived creatures introduces them to bereavement. However, Éowyn is far too young at the moment and our house is far too small and with our work patterns at the moment it wouldn’t be fair on any pet that we have. It is far better to play with other people’s pets and pop round the garden centre or zoo when you want to have a look. Far less messy and much cheaper!

I have not seen much of my daughter these past few weeks so there are not many photos in the update. I will try harder for next time. Until then..

Peace and love

Baggie

Minnie Mouse

I will work out the password

Do you know what it is yet?

Hello!

Where are we going to go?

Think I need a passport

Ready to go!

I’m coming!

Catching up on the gossip

It may still be cold, although the snow (for us at least) has not returned , but I must have turned around for a second because February is already upon us. My resolution to update this blog more regularly has failed in the first month. I will however make amends by posting lots of photos of Éowyn. I trust that will make up for the hiatus.

It is probably fair to say that the reason that the blog isn’t getting updated as often as it should is that we are settling into a routine. I work, Lucinda works and when we both work Éowyn goes to Jo, her childminder. Éowyn is also much more demanding (in a nice way) on our time when you are looking after her. No longer are you guaranteed two naps during the day which would allow you to have a little ‘me’ time. Hence when she goes to sleep at night you finally get a chance to do the little jobs that you have wanted to do all day but never got the chance so some things miss out. This blog being one of them.

I think I have said at every stage of Éowyn’s development that ‘I’ve enjoy this stage better than the last.’ So it is no surprise that I am saying it again. But I thoroughly enjoy every day that I spend with her. She is developing new skills everyday and is so much fun. Although I do not think that we are too far away from the temper tantrum stage. She already turns the waterworks on when she wants something that you are denying her and will quite often refuse her dinner and you have to resort to forcing that first mouthful through her flailing arms. (However once she realises that the first mouthful is something that she likes then she quickly gobbles down the rest). Unless of course she is in one of those moods that means only she can feed herself and woe betide anyone that denies her that right.

That paints a very negative picture and one that is somewhat contrary to the start of that previous paragraph. She really isn’t all that bad at all. In fact I think that we are quite lucky. Most of the time she is very well behaved. She enjoys playing with her, far too many, toys. She pays very little attention to the telly (which is good) except when she picks up the remote control and changes the channel. Usually followed with a ‘Uh-Oh’ and quickly handing the remote back to you. She loves to read and will spend hours sitting on your lap making you read one of her many books to her. I think I know the 10 Friendly Fish and the Gruffalo backwards.

She also picks up things incredibly quickly and not just things that you teach her. We now make her walk from our house to the car parked in the street. It is a walk of 50 metres at most, but a good stretch for her. Last Friday she was walking to the car as usual, but insisted on carrying Lucinda’s big bunch of keys. As she approached the car I jokingly said ‘Come on, you have to unlock the car for us.’ more as prelude to taking the keys off her than anything else. But she stood there, flicked through the keys until she came across the car key. Pointed it at the car (the correct car in a line of cars) and pressed the unlock button on the remote central locking. Lucinda and I looked at each other as if to say have you taught her that, when Éowyn simply handed me the keys and went and stood at the rear door waiting to be picked up and sat in her car seat. She obviously, must have watched us do it and locked it away for future use. What else has she watched us do that she is saving until the moment is ripe?

Although the weather has been cold, it is has been quite dry this weekend, so we took full advantage and headed to Savill Garden, in Virginia Water part of Windsor Great Park. There is a small adventure playground and we thought that it was about time that we introduced Éowyn to it. Again we made her walk from the car, which is a long way when you only have little legs. She thoroughly enjoyed the playground, even if she was a little on the young side for much of it. She especially enjoyed the swings and got upset when we took her out of it and she had to go back for a second go. Before we set back off for the warmth of the Bagnall home we made he walk a little into the park. She spent the whole time pointing at the many dogs (Virginia Water is the place that many people walk their dogs at a weekend) and saying ‘Woof Woof’. Very proud of her, but I think that you may have got that from this entry already.

However, enough of me waxing lyrical over my daughter here is the real reason many of you are here, the latest photos and I did promise more that the usual to make up for the lack of entries.

Peace and Love

Baggie