Drip, drip, drop, little April Shower

After the glorious weather that greeted the end of March and the subsequent hose pipe bad that has been imposed on our corner of the world, the climate gods have once again shown their sense of irony and since that hose pipe ban has come into force it has rained everyday.  However, it is something us Bagnalls are used to and it does not stop us enjoying ourselves.

Since football stops for ne’er a bank holiday and indeed doth seem to multiple about these days I found myself working the Easter weekend.  However as those days are given in law to us UK citizens I moved them to the following weekend and ended up with a belated Easter at home with the family, beginning on the second Friday 13th of the year!  No sufferers of friggatriskaidekaphobia in this household, which is fortunate for there is one more left before the end of the year (in July if you are at all worried!).

Éowyn had been asking to visit the cinema again after her first visit back in February.  Aardman animations new feature length film: The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! was playing the local picturehouse and she has seen the trailer and liked the look of it and I had seen the trailer and liked the looked of it and so the decision was easily made.  So 09:00 on Friday 13th April we headed off to Staines, a bag of pick ‘n’ mix and smuggled bottle of Fruit Shoot, two tickets and £17 lighter we took our seats.  Even though it was the end of the Easter school holidays there were but 15 people in the entire theatre.  I thoroughly enjoyed the film, for most of the jokes were aimed at the adults but Éowyn I think struggled with some of it and was a little scared at some of the scenes.  Although in fairness she is like that with films she knows well.  When I asked her about the film afterwards she did enjoy it and had followed the story throughout (and I always ask her to tell me the story of the films that we see so that it encourages her to remember the story and understand what was going on and why the characters did what they did – I am an evil father sometimes but I do think that there is learning to be had from every experience and by encouraging thought and asking questions is something we should all be encouraged to do).

After the cinema we met up with Lucinda and Amélie and booked our family holiday, an all inclusive resort in Tenerife.  Neither of us have been to Tenerife and the resort looked very child friendly and for the next few years that is what we will be looking for.  Although I am not really the kind of person that enjoys just sitting by the pool with a book, I like to be out and about exploring (although with my new Kindle 4 perhaps I will learn to appreciate the rest) and Tenerife seems to have a number of enticing venues, including the world’s third largest volcano.  Come back in a few months for our holiday report.

So that was day one of our belated Easter Weekend.  Day two was no less exciting.  Last year we discovered the delights of having a Merlin Pass and the fact that they can be purchased with Tesco vouchers.  Last year’s pass ran out on Easter week and so renewed.  Éowyn’s cousins also have done the same and they had planned a visit to Chessington World of Adventures so we thought that was an ideal time to renew the passes and meet up with the family.

Coincidentally Chessington was the venue to obtain last year’s tickets but on that visit we will a little disappointed and thought that there was nothing for Éowyn to go on.  Which at the time was probably true.  However, one year on and there seemed to be a lot more choice for our three year old.  Obviously the older cousins went on a lot of the bigger rides but we all piled on (even Amélie) to the ‘BubbleWorks‘ disappointing for its lack of bubbles but everyone seemed to enjoy it, all except Amélie who clinged on to Lucinda for dear life throughout the ride.  However, both chidldren (and Lucinda) thoroughly enjoyed the Madagascar live show, in fact Amélie tried to get on stage with them!

We decided to take it easy on the Sunday as both kids (and both adults) were a little knackered after two busy days, plus Lucinda was back at work on the Monday morning.  Monday was an inset day and so instead of going to school it was an Éowyn and Daddy day for Amélie was already booked in at Jo’s.  As the morning started with bright sunshine and the promise of a good day we decided to use the Merlin Passes for the second time in three days and headed to our local theme park: Legoland.  Legoland is by far the best of the attractions for Éowyn (and Amélie’s) age range with most of the rides suitable for them.  We arrived at Legoland as it opened and headed straight for the Atlantis ride as we know that is one of the most popular.  Indeed arriving so early was great we had queued and rode on 5 of the rides before noon just as Éowyn started to get grumpy because she was tired.  Most of them were rides that she had been on before and enjoyed but because we were so early we managed to go on a new ride that she thought was fantastic which was the mini driving school known as L-Drivers.  Aimed at three to five year olds L-Drivers allows the smaller children little electric cars which they operate and drive around a circular track (not quite NASCAR!).  At the end of the session they are awarded with their own little driving licence.  She loved it and I have to say after an initial difficulty controlling the car was excellent including one incident when she had to take evasion action as the cars in front crashed.

As we were leaving the park we bumped into a colleague who was just arriving with his son.  The beauty of living around the corner from a major attaction and having a Merlin Pass, we were quite satisfied to leave when Éowyn got tired rather than attempting to get our money’s worth.  Unfortunately Éowyn was being particularly grumpy to say hello to Tim, Gill and Harrison and they were getting on the funicular train known as the Hill Train as we were getting off, so it was a quick hello, goodbye and then off to MacDonalds for a naughty lunch for us.

Amélie is still swiper in disguise, her major achievement was hiding Lucinda’s keys which took the best part of a morning to find (thank’s Éowyn!).  She also still has her Cow’s Milk Protein Intolerance.  We went to see the dietician for her six monthly check up and share our findings.  As we suspected she still is showing signs of intolerance but can handle cooked milk (in the form of biscuits).  She said not to challenge for a few months as we need to give her body time to grow out of the intolerance, however to wean her off her neocate as her diet sounded like it was giving her all the nutrients that she needed.  However if we wanted to replaced the milk in her diet that Alpro now do a soya milk fortified with vitamins formulated for toddlers and that they recommend it for children such as Amélie with Cow’s Milk Protein Intolerance.  So, as we were parked in the Tesco car park we headed straight into the supermarket to buy some for her and try her with it.  We’ll let you know how we (or more strictly: she) get(s) on with it.  Our next appointment isn’t until the end of October but it would be a nice 2nd birthday present for Amélie if she has grown out of it by then.  Maybe she could have a chocolate birthday cake!

We have to say a belated Happy Birthday to Nanny Fran for last Friday.  Unfortunately as I was so busy at work we were unable to pop up and see her but hopefully that will change next weekend and we can wish her a happy belated birthday in person.

So a busy family week comes to an end with the promise of a busy couple of weeks at work as the football seasons (yes seasons) draw to their traditional May conclusions.  West Brom are safe with the possibility of a top half finish and Wolves already have been relegated so a successful season as far as I am concerned.

Love and Peace

Baggie

 

Where is this year’s snow?

So before we know it the mid-January hangover is upon us.  Christmas is a distant memory (apart from the collection of new toys strewn across the lounge floor) and Summer an eternity away.  Not that this Winter has been that hard, forecasts in the Autumn were indicating it was going to be a harsh winter, but hey weathermen and meteorologists have been wrong before.  The jetstream is sitting much further north than the last few years hence our winter (at least for the southern portion of the UK) has been much warmer than recent years, shame really as I enjoy a bit of snow.

So what has been happening in the Bagnall household in the first part of 2012.  Well it is a case of getting back into the old routines.  Éowyn now goes to school 3 times a week.  She has only be back at school for one week so it is hard to say exactly how she is coping with this.  Unfortunately, Lucinda’s work days fell mid-week on that week so not only did Dad have to take her to school each day, she was at Jo’s (the childminders) on one of the other days and we had to ask Lucinda’s dad to pick her up on two of the days.  Therefore she has not spent too much time with Lucinda this past week (which is unusual and I think she has missed her Mommy).  Éowyn loved being picked up by her Granddad because Lucinda’s dad has a flat bed truck and so, as three year old, it was one of the most exciting things that could have to have to ride home in the cab of Granddad’s truck (she probably will not think that in 10 years time!) and when we told her that on Friday that Lucinda would pick her up from school, she said, ‘Can Granddad pick me up in his truck?‘ which no doubt delighted Lucinda’s dad but is a bit of a kick in the teeth for Lucinda and me.

The main news though from the Bagnall household is the fact that Amélie has been discharged from the paediatrician.  As you know when she was first born she had severe reflux and wasn’t feeding correctly.  With hindsight it was probably part of the same problem: cow’s milk protein intolerance but at the time both aspects were being treated.  She therefore was given drugs to help lower her stomach acid and relax the stomach to help prevent reflux and she was tried with a variety of artifical milks until we hit upon Neocate (which she is still on).  The reflux went away but was that the drugs or was it the fact that her body wasn’t being poisoned with a chemical it couldn’t handle (the cow’s milk protein!).  The Cow’s milk intolerance is being treated under the supervision of a dietician while the reflux was treated under the supervision of the paediatrician.  As we suspected, it appears that the reflux wasn’t caused by any physical issues with Amélie’s digestive tract and was more than likely due to the intolerance.  However, we are extremely grateful that we were taken seriously and she was fully investigated and now given a clean bill of health.  We just have to hope that she grows out of the Cow’s milk protein intolerance, and we will be testing her for that again soon.  The intolerance has not made her a fussy eater though and she has quite a prodigious appetite, quite often eating more than her sister!

Amélie is still not walking unaided, however Nanny Fran bought her a pushchair for Christmas and she can motor along with that at a fair pace.  It is not just in straight lines either, if she wants to turn around or take a sharp left then she swings that pushchair round and tootles off in the new direction.  I think that it is just a matter of confidence and as soon as she realises that she doesn’t need to hold onto something then she’ll be off.  However, for some reason she doesn’t like a doll being in the pushchair and a squashy green ball seems to be her favourite passenger (you can see it in the photos below).  Her vocabulary has also started to increase and I don’t think it will be long before she will start surprising us with words.  She has always been a little chatty and will gurgle and mumble away to herself quite merrily (sometimes at 0300!) but the other day she drank her milk and handed me the bottle saying ‘Here you are,‘ or as close to that for my ears to interpret it that way.  I know my place.

It is strange how the two sisters are quite different in temperament.  Amélie is far more laid back than her older sister but at the same time quite cuddly and will wander over to you give you a kiss and cuddle then go back to whatever it was that she was doing beforehand.  She doesn’t seem quite as intent on sitting down and learning but will quite happily play with you without need of the television.  Éowyn is much more independent (when she knows that you are about) and will rarely give you a spontaneous cuddle but if you are not about she can get a little anxious and is always glad when you are back.  She is always keen to learn and to impress you with what she knows (doesn’t that remind you of anyone?) but will easily waste an afternoon watching a film or just banal television (again, like anyone you know?).  Éowyn does like her home and her home comforts especially when her parents are about.  Lucinda picked Éowyn up from school last week and she said, ‘Are we going home?  I like being at home and when Daddy is there it is the best place in the world!‘  The little sweetie!

I currently have a week off work (using up the remainder of last year’s leave entitlement) and Lucinda has done the same, so it really will be the best place in the world when they get back from school and Jo’s.  It is not all that exciting for Lucinda and me though as we are trying to fit all the new toys into our already crowded house.  There is a lot of consolidation going on and toys that have not seen the light of day or they are too old for are either heading down the charity shop or being boxed up and put in the loft.  To be honest it is probably something that both Lucinda and I should be doing to our own stuff.  Kids first!

Not the most exciting set of photos below but it is January and the year has only just begun.  Hopefully none of you suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia and if you did you managed to survive last Friday unscathed!  If you do suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia (or paraskevideatriaphobia as it is also known), then 2012 is probably a bad year for you as there will be 3 this year, so keep an eye on April and July!

Peace and love

Baggie