Childminder

Growing up, fast

Friday 19th February 2010Friday 11th May 2012Baggie

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

Doesn't time fly?

Monday 1st February 2010Monday 6th September 2010Baggie

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

Wheeee

I’m flying!

Wiv my Mommy

I want to go on the swing!

Wrapped up warm!

Mommy and me!

More fun than my toys!

Up to something!

Gee up!

Peep Po!

I’ll get that bubble!

Very comfy!

Just texting…

Text me back!

Come on! Text me back!

That was the decade that was

Thursday 31st December 2009Friday 11th May 2012Baggie

Another year draws to a close and for the first time in many years we are actually getting seasonal weather. Snow and cold weather seems to be blanketing much of Europe, North America and little ol’ us and again the country grinds to a halt. At least it makes everywhere seems a lot prettier, what a fantastic way to usher in the new decade. Yes, the new decade! Unbelievably another decade draws to a close and new one is just around the corner (or probably already here by the time you are reading this). And what a decade it has been both personally and in world events.

The world has changed significantly during the noughties (not sure what the new decade will be called: Twenty-Tens; Tweens; Tenties probably won’t find out until the retrospective TV programmes and newspaper articles of 2019) almost as significantly as my life. I don’t think that I need to re-iterate the major world events of the last ten years as I think we could name the most notable and infamous incidents. From a personal point of view this decade as seen me promoted (twice – more later); buy a house; sell a house; fall in love; get engaged; get married and become a father. I’ve visited a number of incredibly beautiful places around the world, made new friends, lost some friends, cemented older relationships and incredibly now support a team that has been in the Premier League and been seen in a F.A. Cup semi-final.

As mentioned above I have been promoted at work so as of the 1st January 2010 I will be Head of Live Operations at mediahouse, for IMG. This will include responsibility for all our live programming clients , including Premier League (worldwide distribution), Football League (for the BBC) and ESPN to name a few. It is an exciting position and as I will be moving to a five day week (although not necessarily Mon-Fri 9-5) it means I will be able to see Éowyn everyday which will mean so much more now she is becoming more aware as she is growing up.

We have been a little busy since the last update, hence the delay between this and the previous update so forgive me if I omit some of the finer details. Like everyone much of the latter part of December has been gearing up to Christmas and all the malarkey that is associated with it. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view) Éowyn is still a little too young to appreciate all that is going on. although she did begin to take an interest in the Christmas tree and the presents underneath it. The only decoration that is was interested in, though, was a Christmas bell. For some reason she took a shine to it and kept taking it off the tree and either giving it to one of us or putting it in her toybox.

As befitting new parents we didn’t really go out and celebrate the way many of our single and younger friends did. However we did get ourselves glammed up and her to Royal Holloway College for a Christmas Dinner Dance. And so that we could enjoy ourselves my Mom (and Sister Liz) made the trip down (fortunately the Snow had eased by that point) and baby-sat for the evening. Again I’m not sure who enjoyed themselves the most: Lucinda and I, Éowyn or Nanny Fran and Auntie Liz? It was a close call.

Nanny Fran stepped to the rescue for child-minding duties again over Christmas. Being shift workers Bank Holidays (including Christmas) mean nothing in the jobs either Lucinda or I do, in fact they can be the busiest times for both of us. This year we were both down to work Boxing Day (26th December for non-UK residents) and the day after. So we decided to ask Nanny Fran to look after Éowyn for those days. Therefore we decided to drive to West Bromwich on Christmas Day, have Christmas day with my mom and sister (and Éowyn’s Great-Great Uncle Albert), leave Éowyn with Nanny Fran and pick her up after our shifts had finished. Although it was a lot of driving it was really nice and meant that we had two Christmasses.

As it was a little difficult to see Lucinda’s parents on Christmas day and drive to West Bromwich, we decided that we would have Christmas day with them and Lucinda’s brother on Christmas Eve. So we invited them around our house and I cooked a roast pork (we didn’t want Turkey two days on the bounce) dinner and we opened presents. We thank our lucky stars that we are both so close to our families and it is a shame that my family is not closer for such occasions, although Nanny Fran is seeing an awful lot of Éowyn recently, which we are most grateful for.

As for Éowyn she was obviously a little too young to understand Christmas, but she did see Father Christmas (with Jo, her child-minder) but was scared of him (fair enough, he is a bit of a strange character) and got into the swing of opening presents. She wasn’t really bothered about the presents as such, but enjoyed ripping the paper off (although some people wrap their presents a little too officiously). In fact she would rip the paper off, then rip it again and hand you each little bit. That will soon change, no doubt. We would like to thank everyone that sent us a card or bought us a present and especially to those of you who bought Éowyn a present, she is lucky to have you all, as are we.

I wish all of you a light filled 2010 and all the best for the coming decade. In the words of Ann Landers: ‘Let this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things you’ve always wanted to do but couldn’t find the time. Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. Vow not to make a promise you don’t think you can keep. Walk tall, and smile more. You’ll look ten years younger. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I love you’. Say it again. They are the sweetest words in the world.’

Peace and Love

Baggie and Lucy xxx