Miriam at school

Oh dear, I appear to have opened a door to the future! Miriam has started her "transition" period at nursery, and has now had her practice visit to school. She had a great time but is looking just a bit too grown up!

Lydia starts nursery!

My baby (for a few weeks longer) started nursery today! I might have been more emotional if pregnancy hadn't caught up with me this week and I am more than ready for a bit of a chance for a sit down and a rest before baby comes! She will be going twice a week and both she and Miriam are very excited about going to the same nursery (although Lydia in the baby room and Miriam in the big room).

Lydia was very excited. Who is starting nursery today?

Me!

Lydia was adamant that because she was a big girl she would walk to nursery! (actually she wanted to go on "my scooter" and it was quite hard to persuade her she doesn't have a scooter!)

Going to nursery, Peppa in hand.

Today was just her "settling in" session so I had to stay in the building (although not with her) and she only did an hour. She's ready to go for a proper play on Monday :-) This didn't stop the fact that she has been exhausted since she came back! Nursery is hard work

The teddy she is cuddling is the one she had *wanted* to take to nursery before I negotiated her down to something more appropriately sized!

Sundry

I've set myself a new challenge of finding as many alternative titles for "miscallaneous" posts as I can...

I can't remember why I took this picture now, but I thought I'd share it. It's the range of beverage sizes I got for at work. The one on the right is about 1.5 pints (I measured it) and yes, I really can clear that much tea before it goes cold. Necessary for the difficult days.

Just chilling out on the sofa.

Naomi has had French pleats in her hair for nursery quite a bit recently. This leave her hair in a really cool twisty state. 

More twistiness!

The amazing reappearing plant is back after only 8 months!

We just got a food mixer (only £20 at Aldi so why not?), and NEEDED to test the dough hooks. Here's an attempt at Brioche, which was pretty nice. Naomi calls it "clever bread".

Some slight sadness to finish. This is the last day that I took Naomi to nursery - I'll miss this!

End of nursery

Well, I blinked, and just like that it is time for Naomi to finish nursery and instead go to school! It only feels like a couple of weeks ago that she started going to nursery at all.  One week left of term before the summer holidays and so we've had a few wee events for Naomi to mark the occasion. 

Nursery put on an event for the children to show what they have been doing to prepare for school, they've been learning about getting dressed, crossing the road, how to deal with being worried and of course all the practicalities about where the class room is, how to find the toilets and where to go to get lunch!

The whole theme for transition has been built round the theme of "The Rescuers" (a film that I watched as a child, in fact I am fairly sure I had it on VHS!)  Here are the children singing their song, talking about being brave.

Here is Naomi receiving a certificate and some examples of the work she has done in nursery.

The person who is giving Naomi her certificate is Christine who was Naomi's keyworker, she has been really good for Naomi and I have always felt she does her job very well. As it happens she has gone to a new job and although we wish her well I am sad she isn't still in the nursery, I had hoped she might be Miriam's keyworker when the time came.  Here is Naomi making a card to say thank you for being such a good keyworker (Miriam joined in too).

Next week sees a trip to a farm and a party so there's still plenty of fun to fit into those last few days, I am ready for the holidays though, I am looking forward to not having to get everyone out the door by 8.35am!

Mundanity

I thought I would do a blog post about the mundane. The regular goings on in the Brownlee household. It's  not as exciting as holiday posts or traveling posts but it is the reality of our every day.

Every morning Naomi is off to nursery and now on a Monday and Thursday Miriam joins her.  Both girls love nursery and having opportunity to do things I wouldn't probably do at home and certainly not with so many friends.

Aside from that mornings are made up from toddler groups, toddler gymnastics, a Bible study for me and an occasional cup of tea!

In the afternoons we get up to all sorts if things so here are some photos of our goings on...

 Having a picnic for dollies...

Just relaxing

Occasionally going places, this is from a big outdoor play area where Naomi was pretending to be a "girl farmer"

and Miriam did bouncing

One of Naomi's friends has recently had her tonsils removed so we made a get well card

snuggles feature heavily in our afternoons

I didn't get any good pictures of this but here are the girls planting sunflower seeds with Daddy

Miriam is playing with our happy land things one rare morning we just stayed at home

I've recently added an outdoor abacus to our garden

occasionally I try and do something for myself, here is Miriam trying to make some weights so she can join in my exercise DVD!

Naomi enjoys colouring (so does Miriam, not pictured below)

This is a screenshot from a game the girls like to play on my phone

Sometimes we go to our friends' houses to play

craft is popular

And also painting

We like to keep it real, though, so this features a bit too often too!

I asked her to wear clothes!

Assortment

We've had a quite a few posts headed "miscellaneous" so here's an "assortment" instead...

We begin with some facepainting - occupying a day in enforced by waiting on a delivery.

A slightly disturbing fixation on the computer... the girls have been asking - repetitively - for the theme from The Rescuers. The film is being used as the "theme" for Naomi's transition from nursery to school and they seem to have this song memorised...

Of course, some gaming is also appealing. They are very good with a mouse and keyboard, and even better with a touchscreen.

For supporters of more traditional play though, there is little better than making a properly good mess. Sand, mud and water combined is MOST fun.

A new era

Miriam has started nursery! She'll only be going twice a week but it will give me a chance to breathe, spend time with Lydia and catch up on all the things I haven't managed to do for 4 months now!

Today she went for a shorter session but she loved it and is very happy to be going back on Thursday

Ready to go and even with new trainers for the occasion!

Happy to get to go play

Misc

After the flurry of catch up posts we've had the past few days, it's time for a miscellaneous post...

Peppa and George getting the most of the view from the top bunk.

Naomi's friend made a pumpkin latern, and she wanted to do the same. So, several days after Halloween, we made neepy lanterns. The girls drew on the patterns and I cut them out.

I feel this should be an album cover.

That's better - happy Miriam!

A present of delicious sweets. The girls have quite enjoyed having the "big sister" presents that accompanied the many presents for Lydia.

Once again, we get some cool effects with the fog. Look closely and you'll see a floating Wallace Monument. (click the picture to make it bigger!)

The girls have become strangely keen on Strictly Come Dancing. Very odd as we don't usually watch it, and it's on after their bedtime (I think they were late to bed one night and it came on) You can probably guess that Naomi likes to copy the dance moves.

Naomi's nursery had an open evening, with various fundraising things and displays. Honestly, the place was mad - it felt like hundreds of children and adults squashed into a small space. Here is a brief moment of calm getting some tasty treats.

First whole-family trip to the park. Weeeee!

Jay might write more about this sometime, but she got asked to review some buggies and carseats for a magazine. Our garage is now a wall of buggies!

It's a hard life.

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