six months old

30 September 2016

We had a little celebration at our house this week. One, I had tidied the house. Two, our son turned 6 months old! I've mentioned it many a times on my blog, but I had a rather difficult pregnancy (birth was fine though I should say)...all was okay with the tot, but I fared rather worse and it is only now that I am starting to feel more like myself again. I can't really express how happy that makes me feel. Watching my little boy grow up so happy and contented and feeling better in myself at the same time is really rewarding. Gradually getting our house back in order is equally as rewarding : )
I never thought I could manage to love yet another human this much, but yes, it is possible...

Of course I am a soppy old twit, so I couldn't help to buy him his first book for his half-way birthday.

His sister opened is for him naturally...

The relationship between the two tots is fascinating to see. He loves watching her and she always gets the biggest laughs out of him. She cuddles him too much, retracts any toys which she thinks may be harmful to him, and she goes all gooey when he smiles at her.

Another milestone is the sitting up business, which was a surprise because he did not show any inclination until the day he turned 5 months old, then just sat up as if he always could. Maybe he was playing a little trick on us.

He is not bothered about rolling yet though, he will probably do that once he is walking ; )

I ordered a new high chair that fits our dining table better (it's imaginatively called 'ibaby' for those who are wondering). As I'm sure all parents out there will relate, it is so nice when they can finally join the family at the dinner table, ahhh....

He's been having his porridge in the mornings and some puree with rice, but this was the first actual food he had to practice with in his high chair. Steamed broccoli (which he did actually eat a bit of)...

and some chunks of apple that he enjoyed sucking.

But, he WILL fit in this basket until the day he goes to school.

So I have been decluttering the house which got into a right old state during this year...the teepee has been well used and is a nice place for both tots to chill out and play hide from the monster.

I have enjoyed faffing with plants and lighting as many candles as possible. It is still too warm for the fire, but the candle light is very healing. As is Poldark that is on every sunday night, hooray!! ; )

This area is the most fatal place in our house, it's like the local dump...coats, shoes, bags, random things that have no home...argh! this is even after tiding...

In the living room I painted the floor in a light grey (previously white). It is the same colour as in our shop so we are very familiar with it. I repainted the walls, skirting boards and fireplace too!

So we are feeling much more civilised at our house now, it's good to focus on home and family life sometimes, which ironically can get forgotten about, but is actually the most important bit of my life.

Happy October everyone! x

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september sun

19 September 2016

When you live in a touristy place, you have to adapt your lifestyle a bit. During the summer school holidays the island population increases by about two thirds, so most businesses work doubly hard during this time. September is the month that a lot of islanders call their summer holiday. When the weather is good, it is the best place to be, empty beaches, quiet roads and peaceful ferries, bliss!
Because of our shop, we couldn't really take much time off so we couldn't wait till september so that we could close our whole business for two weeks! And by lucky hap, we were blessed with some glorious september sun!

We decided to take our caravan over to my mum's garden (she lives in a flat which is part of a large Victorian terrace so the garden is communal). She lives in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight, right on the edge of the cliff over looking the sea.

We had a few dramas getting there so our trip was postponed for a week (!) as our VW camper engine over heated on the way towing the caravan, and then our morris struggled with it too...the next day we bought a modern 4x4, made in Japan, problem solved.

Anyways, we got there, and we had the best time ever! We don't need any expensive holiday abroad, just a nice view and some mild english weather is enough for us ; )

Amazing view, lovely places to eat, beaches to walk to, granny on hand ; ) perfect!

Needless to say, the nippers had a great time.

I really appreciated the earlier evenings for a cosy fire lit dinner, and it was so warm.

The mornings were pretty spectacular too!

(we still haven't got our actual gas cooker fixed yet, using this portable hob, which is really good by the way!)

So now we can't tow our caravan with our camper van, it looks like we will all have to sleep together (unless we take our tent as well). With the babe in his basket (on the floor) and three of us in a small double bed! I think we should have called the caravan 'sardine tin'.

A short walk along the seawall towards Bonchurch, there is a new cafe called The Seapot, it is in Wheelers Bay which well know for it's crab fishing, which you can eat at the cafe!

The food was really good there, and such lovely staff too!

Oh I do love this caravan, in fact I could just spend all day pottering about in it. So amazing to lie on that bed with the view of the sea...

Alfresco bathing

porridge served by sister

checking the weather forecast

This is Ventnor beach where I had a nice swim (the sea is much warmer in September).

I grew up in Ventnor so there are lots of nostalgic places that haven't changed much since I was a tot (actually most have improved a lot). I have always loved the Botanic Gardens.