So after the wettest April in recorded history the drought continues and May doesn’t seem to be much of an improvement. Indeed with the May Bank holiday looming we are living with the threat of ground frosts killing our spring plants. Glad the Met Office predicted it all (not!) but at least they have updated their prediction for the next few months (apparently there is a great than average uncertainity, i.e. we don’t know!).
Work is still gearing up for its busiest period for me, the conclusion to all the football seasons and the inevitable last day of the season shenanigans. Hence the lack of exciting trips and a dearth of photos to delight you with this time, hopefully as my busiest period comes to an end I can begin to spend a little more time with the family.
Work was in the way of seeing Nanny Fran for her birthday but not so the following weekend. So although Lucinda was working until the afternoon the house was full of travelling Bagnalls, as Nanny Fran and Auntie Liz made their way down from West Bromwich and Auntie Mary across county from Woking. Éowyn is always exciting when Nanny Fran and her Aunties visit and this was no exception. She even tidied her toys away before they came. I think as soon as Amélie comprehends the notion that people can plan a visit, (i.e. grasp the idea of the future) then she, too, will get over-excited at the proposal of a visit from Nanny Fran. With Nanny Fran retiring at the end of the year then it is quite possible that those visitis will become more frequent.
Éowyn entertained her elder relatives with Amélie as support act. Éowyn even let Auntie Liz plait her hair, something that she will not let Mommy or Daddy do, but it is Auntie Liz! They also cheated Nanny Fran and Auntie Liz at snakes and ladders, you have to watch them!
Amélie is going through one of those rapid learning phases. A couple of weeks ago it seems that her vocabulary was limited to the usual half a dozen or so words, but that is rapidly increasing and it probably will not be long before she is constructing complex sentences, ‘Mater, pray tell your opinion on Boris Johnson retaining the Mayorship of London?‘ Perhaps not that complex. The current favourite sentence (if you can call it that) is ‘Dad, dad, dad, dad: look!‘ Which is usually followed by her taking a large bite out of what ever she is eating and making a real show of finishing her mouthful.
She has also begun to enjoy playing with Éowyn, not that Éowyn appreciated it all the time! Although one game that they both enjoy playing is hide and seek. Although Amélie’s notion of hiding is to stand by the wall and close her eyes and giggle when you find her. When it is her turn to hide, she will stand there counting up to 10 (more of a long continuous word onetwothreefourfivesixseveneightnineten than what strictly could be called counting) but with her hands over her mouth rather than over her eyes. She then runs around giggling while trying to catch you. She is very good at hide and seek, for an nineteen month old.
Amélie is also very good at eating her food and it is rare that she refuses food or doesn’t finish her meals – unlike her big sister at the moment. We have been introducing her to the Alpro Soya Milk for Toddlers, mainly with her breakfast. She doesn’t seem overkeen but neither is she rejecting it out of hand. It is to be expected and the nutritionist has told us that even if she grows out of her Cow’s Milk Protein Intolerance the chances are that she will never be that keen on milk or dairy products. We just have to ensure that she gets her required calcium from other foods.
Éowyn is back at pre-school and seems to be enjoying herself. We think she is really going to miss her friends at the start of next term when many of them going up into the infant school, while she has to wait another year. One can understand why there is a cut off date but surely a staggered start to school would be better, Éowyn is only 6 weeks younger than some of the children that will be going to infant school in September and is equally on a par in terms of development to most (if not all) of the children that will be leaving. We fear that there will be more displays of naughty behaviour as she will be bored and not challenged, however on the other hand it might do her good for I think she is part of a little gang. Not that we think that she is being influenced by them, indeed on the contrary it wouldn’t surprise me that she is the ringleader and at the very least there is a lot of mutual influencing. So breaking that little clique may be a very good thing. We shall see.
She thoroughly enjoys herself there and I asked her the other days what is her favourite thing that she does at school. ‘Dressing up,‘ she replied. So what do you like dressing up as then I inquired. ‘A Unicorn,‘ came the surprising reply. Although given her name maybe not that surprising.
I will leave you now to shelter from the May cold and perhaps leave you with a timely reminder of the old English proverb: ‘Cast ne’er a clout ’til May be out.’
Peace and Love
Baggie
