THE PERFECT DAY!

After dance class I asked Alice if she wanted to go to see some fish (at an aquarium), she shrieked her enthusiastic agreement and we drove over the border to B and it's new aquarium. I bought a year's pass for each of us, not only did Alice have a lovely time there but she's already asking to go back! (It would be nice to think that Little Sis might be around before the passes expire, hopefully she'll get in free for a while yet and it's very pushchair friendly - yep, already planning life with 2!)

SLIGHTLY IRRITATING

Alice wanted dry cereal for breakfast (an increasingly popular request), most mornings when she starts like this she then wants milk half way through, but not today.  So to make up her calcium intake (and pamper her on a chillly morning) I offered her hot chocolate, she accepted on the understanding that she wanted it in a cup not the cereal bowl!!

Later on I was clearing round and I found her hot chocolate, now cold but virtually untouched.  I was a bit peeved that Alice hadn't drunk it until I found my mug, also virtually untouched!  She's like me in so many ways that it's frightening!

CHRISTINGLES AND CHRISTMAS EVE!

We made Christingles at our local church service nearly a month ago! Then Alice was ill for her school service, my school service was earlier this week and the weather made going to the service a risk, so we missed that one too. But today we finally made it to another service - with GMA and my old parish church in A'g, a very different service and a Christingle with sweets on it (beautifully made in advance) - I hadn't seen sweets on a Christingle for many years!

GFN came for coffee this morning, Alice ate his fudge cake for him and he gave her the plastic tat train - which he and I then took many minutes to assemble, we seemed to recreate the Christmas cliche of the adults assembling the toys whilst the child played with the box! We watched the DVDVD (as Alice calls them) of her Nativity - she looked like she had head lice as she scratched throughout the performance, she didn't (just a hot head from the lamb's costume!) Then this afternoon we went to the Christingle service, home for a simple sandwich supper in front of the TV (HUGE treat) before laying out the goodies for Father Christmas and hang the sack up, then it was bedtime with the story of the Nativity before I came downstairs to start preparing tomorrow's meal etc but also a lovely, simple supper of smoked salmon and avocado, yummy!

Happy Christmas, I'm off to check NORAD, have you?

BUSY DAY

Children in Need Day, Alice's school were having a Spotty Day, I'd decided that Alice would go as a spotty dog:

• I bought her a dog set for her birthday (hairband with ears, tail and a nose that barked when pressed),
• I used an animal print (unused) dog bed to make a skirt and a new set of ears (hairbands are no good as they slip out easily if they're the fabric covered),
  
• I used an old (slightly stained) white top and printed glittery paws over it (learnt the lesson to put some filling between the front and back whilst printing!)
• I got a bargain poncho on an auction site
• I kept the face paints very simple!!

Alice did a great dog impression too, panting and barking!

Nursery (usually a whole day) was just a morning session today - the whole school had a half day to celebrate a Saints Day. So after I dropped her off I went into the town and met a fellow prospective AP and gossiped over coffee. I managed to buy some more china - I love my spotty china, but in recent weeks I've broken a large and a side plate (I've had the china for over 5 years but these are the only pieces I've ever broken). This year Alice has started using proper plates (rather than melamine) and it's noticeable that we didn't really have enough china now it's in greater demand. They've also bought out a new piece, so I finally have a matching gravy boat! Then I went back to school for what I thought was a PTA event, mulled wine and minced pies, actually it was a school event - showing what the PTA fundraising had bought recently - it was a great opportunity to see the grounds and watch Nursery as they played outside - I love watching Alice in a different situation, she was happy to wave from a distance!

This afternoon we went to my school to watch and take part in another Children in Need event - they pompomed to a pop song. Alice wasn't happy to watch, she had to be on the yard WITH the children!

Then we popped home again, before going out for the final time today - to a local garden centre to watch Father Christmas arrive by horse drawn carriage. I didn't tell Alice about this until just before we left (I was waiting to see what the weather was going to do). We met one of her favourite friends there - O, Alice was more bothered about seeing O and his mum J - in fact she didn't think she wanted to see Father Christmas at all! When we got there she was transfixed by an animated display of elves and reindeer, then she tried to help herself to 2 balloons (1 for O!) - we weren't supposed to have them until we left so she had to leave them for a while, when we left she was adamant that she wanted a purple one. We saw FC but not up-close, we'll be going on a special train journey just before Christmas and then she'll get to share her list - at least she's consistent, she's sure that she wants a game like Mummy's, a torch (she's obsessed with mine) and a house for her hamster - so that's what she's getting!

THERE'S A MESS IN THE KITCHEN

I've been so busy for the last 2 days that (as usual) the kitchen's been neglected and it's obvious, very obvious.

Yesterday - work and the general exhaustion that follows it.

Today - I dropped Alice off at the beginning of the drop-off time and went on to Coventry. Bought clothes and some Christmas presents, didn't manage to find ELC to use the birthday discount voucher (so ordered online when I got home!) I got back to Alice's school in plenty of time and sat and listened to the radio (it was nice to stop for a while). Home to usual post-nursery chaos, dirty uniform, lunch bag to sort, proper supper to provide (usually it's a snack after a proper lunch, but that reverses on nursery days), bedtime and then where did the evening go? Bejeweled Blitz's newest version!

GOOD DAY, SHORT DAY

Yesterday started early with the alarm clock. The first alarm goes earlier than necessary so that I can 'come to' slowly whilst listening to the news. Sometimes Alice wakes early and comes in for a cuddle too, more often she sleeps later (or, I suspect, 'comes to' as I start moving round!) Yesterday I asked for a kiss, she refused with a giggle, so I started tickling and it turned into a game, shortly afterwards she lay back and said, 'I like tickles and giggles!'
I added, 'I like cuddles too!'
Then she said, 'And hugs!'
It was a lovely way to start the day and it was a good day, productive at work, organised at home and a different routine in the evening - Alice has usually had supper by the time I get home, so I planned to take her straight upstairs for a major bath (hair washing included!), then PJs before a cuddle in front of the TV and a story, it worked really well and we spent better time together than usual.

Today was a short day - Alice's new nursery has different hours (as I found to my cost last week!) and it leaves me with a short day to get my jobs done. Today I managed to get several jobs completed that Alice doesn't enjoy so it was an effective day.

MIXED EMOTIONS

Sad. Sad that the weather is already autumnal, despite not really having much warm or sunny weather this summer. Sad that the summer holidays are over. Sad that Alice was still asleep when I left for work this morning. Sad that I got to spend less than 2 hours with my baby today.

Worried. Worried about Alice's new beginnings this week, worried how she'll cope, if she'll cry, how she'll manage a packed lunch. Worried about new situations. Worried about Little Sis, will it happen, will she have to wait long for us to hold her? Always worried.

Wondering. Wondering how this term will progress. Wondering how Alice will adapt. Wondering about Little Sis.

Relieved. Relieved that the first day of term is over. Relieved that introductions are complete. Relieved that plans have been made.

Grateful. Grateful to have someone so special that every moment apart is a moment missed. Grateful to hear, 'I love my Mummy!' and small feet running towards me (unprompted) as I close the front door coming home. Grateful for squeezy hugs and sloppy kisses. Grateful to have found such a welcoming environment for Alice's education. Grateful for my 4 legged friends love and devotion (and for keeping my feet warm!) Grateful to have a job in tough times. Grateful to have the opportunity to adopt again.

ALWAYS THERE

Today we had an early change of plans that tipped the whole weekend on its head. I was going to have a working day but that's now been changed to Monday. We had a quietish morning, Alice had time to play and use her 'puter' connected to the TV.

This afternoon we met D and A for a swim and a play, they were already in the water when we got there, unfortunately A doesn't like to swim for as long as Alice, which led to tears when we got out. Alice continued to be grumpy when changing and during a snack in the cafe - she's definitely tired at the moment but I'm also hoping that it's a stage she's going through rather than a new character trait! After the grumpies we went out to the playground and the girls enjoyed some playtime, especially singing together as they swung!

Shortly after we got home C brought Smokey round, Alice was sad that it was only a short bare-back ride round the drive and she would have loved to ride for longer (she has a remarkable attention span for things she enjoys, well over an hour!) Later on we curled up together to watch one of her new favourite TV progs - Scoo*by Doo (at the moment the other favourites are Fifi and the Flower*tots and Tom and Jerry), and it struck me that, yet again, we were all together - Alice and I cuddling with the little dogs tucked up further along the sofa with Pudding up close to the sofa on the floor. We've been away for a few days and the dogs have been a constant comfort since we've been home.

Coming soon - a post about recent days!

MILESTONES

I'm not sure what today's milestone would say.

Today we put the highchair away, it's been replaced by a travel highchair that we're using as a booster seat.

But also today I took Alice for a haircut (following yesterday's incident with the scissors), they cut an inch and a half off the length and suddenly she looks so much younger again.

OBSESSED AND GETTING TOUGHER!

'No Bertie, that's Dirty Bertie!'

Alice's favourite phrase from her favourite book. The book (Dirty Bertie) lives by Mummy's bed for morning wake-up and bedtime stories. Alice loves to finish each page with the key phrase, 'No Bertie, that's Dirty Bertie!' It's very sweet to hear her say it - she consistently misses out that in the phrase.

Unfortunately Alice didn't get DB tonight as she wouldn't co-operate. Alice is rarely naughty but she is very often slow to do as she is asked, so I've resolved to tell her the sanctions and be stricter. Consistency isn't a problem (teaching experience helps) but seeing the need for change is what I find more difficult. She wasn't happy at not having DB read at bedtime, she kept looking at me and saying, 'Good girl!' so I kept reiterating that if she continued to be a good girl then she could have DB read in the morning. Eventually she understood but not before she tried out hysterics - you'd think that I'd never said no before!

The other books (which she didn't lose this evening) that she loves are Elmer and (my favourite) Owl Babies. OB and DB are both successful for Alice as they have a repetitive phrase that she can join in with - and I'd love more suggestions for other books like this please.

18 MONTHS WITH ALICE

. . . everyday so special, everyday so loved, I am so lucky.

Alice continues to be wonderful but as a 2 year old she's challenging the boundaries more everyday. Today she realised that Mummy isn't just saying things to make life boring, complicated or 'just because' - she learnt that Pudding WILL chew the toys left on the floor!!! Haha, Mummy enjoyed that, no doubt I'll get my comeuppance very soon (if you can find me under the piles of kitchen roll)!

AS THE YEAR CHANGES, SECOND ATTEMPT!

2008, such a special year, the first full year with Alice.

2008 has been a life-changing year, a year of many firsts with Alice. We had our first holidays together - I took her to Jersey (a very special place to my family). Alice got her first British passport and we went to France. We started new activities together, we established many of our family’s routines. I relaxed into parenthood, enjoyed it more and learnt more about how to relish every moment. I was amazed by Alice – how she copes with change, the rate at which she grows, the way she embraces life and is always ready to enjoy its next challenge. We said very sad goodbyes to Daisy and have just welcomed Pudding whilst continuing to get pleasure from Boo and Fuss being with us! At the beginning of 2008 Alice hadn’t even taken her first independent steps, now she’s running and jumping! Her speech and understanding has exploded this year, from a few single words to phrases showing insight.

Home has changed too in 2008. We had the kitchen shuffled – it was major upheaval at the time but has made a great difference to daily life. The playroom was redecorated and the original curtains were finally replaced. The playroom and study also had new carpets. So the ‘daily living’ end of the house is quite different now to how it was at the beginning of the year. Outside the paving around the kitchen has been extended to create more space for playing and entertaining.

Tonight I explained to Alice that it was the last evening of the year and why I would always remember 2008 as such a special year, that she was so good, brought such happiness and so wonderful (I don’t tell her that very often as I don’t think it would be healthy!)

2009 could be another hugely significant year for us. We start with a new puppy. Next week Alice starts going to Nursery for a full day once a week, in September she’ll probably start at a new school, a school where she maybe for up to the next 16 years of her life. One of the first events of 2009 will be my second appearance in front of an Adoption Panel (the UK’s final stage of approval to adopt). Possibly the biggest change for our family in 2009 could be Little Sis – 2009 could be the year that she is conceived, born or even matched with our family (the final option is a long shot!) (I’m still troubled by even thinking of projected timescales and associated events after getting expectations so wrong and becoming so stressed with Alice’s adoption.)

I am extremely grateful for 2008, whatever happens I hope that 2009 will be like 2008.

Happy New Year!

CHRISTMAS EVE PREPARATIONS

We've put out mince pies and cider for Father Christmas, hung Alice's sack and left a carrot for Rudolph (though Alice wasn't happy leaving it all by the fireplace!)

Then we read a story about Father Christmas's journey on Christmas eve and listened to the high speed music that came with it! After that we read the Nativity story and found each part of the story in Alice's Nativity set (Fisher Price, hard to find, but Alice LOVES it!) and then we read the Nativity all over again! Alice insists that the lady in blue is called 'Mummy' and not Mary and the baby is 'Gee-is!'

I gave her her new PJs - Up*sy D*aisy ones, a great hit! For the first time ever Alice got down from my bed and ran into her nursery for bedtime! (The reminders about Father Christmas probably helped!)

AWOL BLOGGER

No particular reasons, other than life in general!

Thursday - we gave up on potty training for now. Alice pooed in the bath (first time ever) having vomited on Wednesday evening, I'd reached my limit. She hasn't expressed an opinion on the return of nappies in the daytime, not even sure that she's noticed. She didn't ask about the potty either until last night, when she wanted to sit on it before bedtime, she did the same again tonight but no success either night. I'm happy to have postponed PT for now and unless she shows EVERY sign of being ready we'll leave it until the better weather after Easter next year.

Friday - work, after a very busy week it seemed an achievement just to be there - upright, dressed, clean clothes and awake! After school I dashed around (like a mad thing) to the supermarket and the GPs (collecting pills). I'm not sure where the evening went!

Saturday - friends arrived for a visit. We had a lovely time, lots of fun, playing, sharing, cooking and gossip, great! (More coming in a separate post!)

Sunday - more or less like Saturday, more fun and then goodbyes followed by Alice taking a very long nap!!

Today - a doctor's appointment, osteopath's appointment and tea with more friends. Alice has had a few spots (red, raised but no heads - she scratched them and now they've got scabs), she's still developing more (odd ones and twos, nothing remarkable), an upset stomach and horrendous nappy rash (that bled on Saturday, another first). The Doc checked it all and suspected a mild virus and prescribed a different nappy rash cream. The osteopath's appointment was for me, I go regularly to avoid back problems, I haven't been for a while - which became very clear once S got to work - it was painful at the time and I'm still a bit achy now, I'm going back next week (I hadn't been since September and it was too long a gap!) The tea with friends - super, lovely chats and nice to expand our circle of friends - O is a handsome little chap (only 5 weeks younger than Alice but so petite) and different in every way except being so lovely!

MUFFINS

We didn't go swimming this morning because Alice still has an ear infection.

Instead I decided that Alice would like to cook! Yesterday I'd try to buy some chocolate chips to make muffins, but they'd been 'withdrawn' so I bought round chocolate pieces (from a purple bag!)

She had great fun, she helped to put the cases in the tin, to mix the ingredients (and taste test them in their raw and floury state!) and finally she enjoyed eating them! They weren't the most successful recipe I've tried, the texture was wrong - I blame the Director of Ops (me), I've never been the best muffin cook (but I have finally succeeded with fairy cakes!!)

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!

Nothing overly exciting, just busy!

Friday - work! M's in Scotland so T looked after Alice. Alice was happy. She took C to school and collected him too- she asks almost daily about T and C and so it's always a good day when she gets to see them both! Work was good - hectic and varied, the best days usually are.

Saturday - slower start, phew! C came round to see Alice, have lunch and play a little Q. We hatched a plan - at her suggestion, with her volunteering free labour, no argument from me and I'm exceedingly grateful. So after our Q matches and Alice's nap we visited a local garden centre and I bought a boot load (and my car has a BIG boot) of plants. After that I went into town to use a discount voucher that was soon to expire - Alice needed some birthday presents! I had planned to watch S*trictly C*ome D*ancing (the UK version of D*ancing W*ith T*he S*tars) but somehow I never managed to sit down for long enough.

Yesterday was hectic - church (Alice was a very loud sheep in the middle of the Gospel, embarrassing and embarrassingly loud - why is the 'Baa' for the 2 piece puzzle sheep so much more aggressive than the 'Baa' for the H*appyland one?), then I had to pop to another garden centre to pay for some flowers, dash home to meet C (to begin planting Saturday's purchases) and then make lunch. My SW arrived early, but we were running late and still eating lunch - why does that always happen to me? Alice napped late - as SW and I talked for a long time. There was just enough time to wake Alice, calm her (she doesn't always wake gently after her nap, especially if I have to wake her) and tidy the kitchen before the vicar arrived to discuss Alice's baptism!

At some point over the weekend I realised that with all the celebrations that are happening over the next week or so, I was going to need some thank you cards. Also I needed to take Alice to the GP about the melamine contamination of dairy products in China and the potential for kidney damage.

Today was just as hectic. I managed to get a urine sample from Alice and an appointment to see our GP - then I wrote her a quick note and enclosed some research and suggested notes from other GPs about testing and got all of that to the surgery 7 hours before the appointment. While we were in U I collected Daisy's ashes and paid the final bills - so I now have another box to add to the 2 in the Hall (Jolly and Busy), I found it really upsetting getting the box back. From U we went straight on to A'g - I dashed around a couple of shops for card making bits and failed to get any of the 3 things on my list! Then we went on to soft play - where I got the 'Guilts' about Alice not having a second birthday party (aside from the large party for her baptism on Sunday!) and invited several Mums and small children (from 7 days old to 3 and a half!) for tea next Wednesday. I must be a gluten for punishment, the next week or so is already frantically busy! T agreed to look after Alice during nap time - that allowed me to 'nip' to N'p (30 minutes away) to get the card making things and forget half the ingredients for cake making (at least 4 are needed in the next week!) We made it back to U for the GP's appointment (another post to come) and I remembered to buy milk and eggs while we were there! Home, supper for Alice, usual bedtime routine and then before I knew it it was nearly 8pm. Since then I've been emailing directions and notes about Sunday's baptism, chatting to friends, catching up on emails, feeding dogs, getting and eating supper and making endless notes about other things to do before Sunday. Somewhere in the day I also found the time to make 24 bows for thank you cards - now I need to find the time to make the cards to go with them.

I have a funny feeling that this week is only going to get more hectic - one day I'll meet myself coming back! Look out for the photos, I'll be the one doing the headless chicken impression!

BUSY WEEKEND - SUNDAY

Today has been busy and eventful! I had a poor night, but Alice obliged and allowed me a lie-in! We had a slow start to the morning, when we eventually got up I gave Alice a bath, then I got her dressed before starting to get ready myself, unfortunately the leaf that I was about to remove from the bath mat was actually a DEAD RODENT.

I DON'T DO RODENTS.

EVER.

I'll never know how I managed to get out of the bathroom and get us both downstairs. I was quite calm given the circumstances (in another post I'll explain about rodents, suffice to say I can't say or type the word with my feet on the floor!) M came and moved it. By this stage all plans had been forgotten and I was doing well to still be in the house (YES - it's that bad!) I had planned to go to the supermarket and then have lunch with Alice (she normally eats earlier than I do) - but by the time that I was functioning again it was too late for all that and Alice had to have a speedy lunch in order to get her to bed before my SW arrived.

I let Alice sleep in (late night last night after a busy day playing) so didn't get her up until after SW had left. We played with the FP toys all afternoon - she loves the house and the school in particular and I'm amazed how quickly her play is changing - though she still insists on shoving the adult figures into the upturned changing table! I managed to have our (planned) lunch at her suppertime, but the beef casserole wasn't as good as it should have been, not sure why!

C came over for a craft consultation this evening and we experimented with my C*ricut machine - neither of us get enough time to do it justice. After that we had a quick game (of the game that won't be revealed until after Christmas!)

BUSY DAYS

Saturday - our local town's Food Fest, up and parked by 8:50 (a major achievement!). Got several errands completed before meeting D, D and A to browse the stalls. A fun day. Alice and A were very good, we got to see the whole thing, didn't buy much except lunch (which was overpriced and not that great, except for yummy BBQed corn on the cob). In the evening I was looking forward to the first S*tricly C*ome D*ancing of the series - I S*ky + it, luckily as I didn't manage to watch it!

Sunday - I left Alice with M next door and made it into the water for aqua aerobics - lots of new faces with hardly any friends there but the class was good, the exercise exhausting but necessary! Dashed home to feed Alice lunch and get her to bed for 1:30pm - but luckily M had already fed her! 1:30pm, Alice in bed ready for me to meet my new Social Worker (SW) T. New SW as the SW from Alice's adoption (or the process that led to her adoption) is off sick for another 8 weeks, maybe more. I was concerned about switching SWs as I got on so well with J (my original SW). Anyway the meeting with T went better than I could have hoped, I like him and I think we'll work well - there are several more meetings in the diary for Sunday lunchtimes and hope to have finished the face-to-face stuff by early November! This stage of the process is moving a lot quicker this time around (so far!)

Monday - we were due to go out for the morning, but visits and phone calls led to a last minute change of plan, instead I unearthed the bird table (Daisy used to raid the bird food - so it was put away many years ago) and my old F-P school and garage. Bird table, F-P toys and the water table all got a good cleanup before GFN arrived - he was expecting biscuits but was persuaded to stay for lunch! We had a quiet afternoon and Alice had an early supper - as M arrived just after 5pm so that I could go to work!!

(Work - after 5pm on a Monday? I was going to an outdoor pursuits centre to lend a hand for the evening. The oldest pupils go annually for a 3 night stay. I've been for the night most years - but now (with Alice home) I've compromised by going for the evening. I was an 'extra' for the evening, but only 2 of us had been with there before so I thought that I could be useful. Usually there's a chance to sit with the other staff while watching and interacting with the children - this year there was no chance to sit - I was there from 6pm to nearly 11pm and was on the go almost constantly - making beds, chatting to small groups of children, finding extra bed linen, doing the rounds of the dormitories, supervising phone calls, ringing parents, making hot drinks, all sorts - even organising a B*op-It championship! It was non-stop but it was also lovely to see the children in a different environment and to be really useful in a different way!)

Today - Alice woke earlier than I wanted (late night after work) and then we went swimming - Alice was as clingy and tearful as the past 2 weeks, but the instructor saw the giggles and silliness after the class so I think that she might be more forceful next week! This afternoon we had a quiet time at home - playing and pl*aydough!

STRESSFUL DAY

Still no sign of the newish gardener - it started so well, he was helpful and he turned up. August - as I was away for the first 2 weeks I paid him for his time in advance, now, 4 weeks later, he's only managed 5 hours in the whole month rather than the 4 days that I was expecting. We're working up to a biggish party in mid October - at this rate the curtains will be closed so that no-one can see the shambles of the garden!

The paver was here, bright and early, cheeky as ever, working hard - wonderful. He finished this afternoon and the paving looks great!

The electrician was here to create the power supply for the new water feature. Channels were created, cables were eventually threaded through tubing and finally the pump was turned on - to create a TRICKLE of water. I returned to the retailer of the pump, they were shirty until I mentioned mis-selling, then they became helpful, a new part is on order but I'm still sceptical that it will solve the problem.

The computer chappie arrived on time and was here (as expected) all afternoon. He's great and computer is behaving better, but now I have the stress of returning all of those 'non-savable' settings to the way I like them - the pig button to count words in Word etc!

Meantime the house is still a tip, T and I are battling boxes, Alice is trying to add to the chaos with unscheduled unpacking and the fridge is empty and we've run out of bread!

TYPICAL MEALTIME

Alice, eating well, self-feeding, food everywhere, dogs looking on hopefully!