I'M NEAR HEAVEN AND ALICE IS IN LOVE!

Rewind to Friday (just). I got up at 2.30am, by 2.50 I was showered and Alice was ready for the car seat, for the first time ever the **** thing had come unplumbed, the car was loaded and so refitting the seat took some effort at that time of the 'morning' too!! Unfortunately Alice woke up while I was trying to find the holes in the travel grobag - she slept for bits of the journey.

After an uneventful drive to Weymouth we were in good time for the ferry. Luckily we had a calm crossing, the only stress of the journey was the parking position we were given on the ferry - I could barely open Alice's door (and due to luggage I couldn't get her out on my side!), I couldn't open my door and had to climb across - on arrival both these doors were completely blocked and no-one was around to help, sounds simple now but it was stressful at the time.

We were at the hotel (in Jersey) by 11.30am and within 10 minutes our room was ready! I managed to unpack before lunch. We had lunch on the terrace overlooking the sea in the sunshine - my favourite place in the world (when the sun is shining)! After her afternoon snooze I decided that we'd better make the most of the reasonable weather (I knew the forecast was rotten from Saturday onwards), the tide was low so we trekked down - lots of new things for Alice, she'd never been to the beach before but didn't seem to mind the sand (it's a beautiful sandy beach), she never seen the sea before - we went slowly but very soon she was hooked!! She adored the sea and the waves, she stood still and let the waves wash over her feet and legs (it was coming in so it soon got deeper), her feet became buried in sand and she had to be persuaded to move back. Eventually I had to pull her away, she walked sideways and soon made it clear 'Dat!' 'MORE, MORE, MORE!!' that she liked the sea and wasn't ready to leave. Unfortunately the downside of single motherhood is only 1 pair of hands so there are no photos only glorious memories. Then we went swimming before room service suppers for both of us - a great day.

Today we went shopping, Alice was OK to begin with but got teary just before noon, in hindsight I think that she was hungry, oops. M&S sandwiches and pasta salad for lunch, then we both took a snooze before having a swim. Alice had a babysitter to visit this evening while I had a superb meal downstairs, yum! Unfortunately the weather today (and forecast for the rest of the holiday) is wet which doesn't make for the best use of the hotel or its location.

This hotel is really special to me - I first came here with my Mum and her parents when I was about a year older than Alice is now and have been coming back ever since, unfortunately not as often as I'd like and more recently only every 2 or 3 years. I love it here but the last few trips have been a challenge as this place is loaded with lovely memories of family who are no longer with me. It's wonderful being here with Alice and starting a whole new chapter of history here. It's as good as ever except for the Children's menu which isn't as diverse or child friendly as it used to be!!