Snow and Power Cuts - not a good combination!!

Friday morning we awoke to around 10 cm of snow! I love sow - it makes everything look perfect, its cool to play with - it even makes a great sound when you tread on it! Duncan was able to work from home so when Lucy had a early nap - we bundled up and took Amelia into the back garden. Some time ago Duncan's cousin had given us a red all-in-one ski suit which I didnt think we would ever use (other than to dress up as Tom, the helicopter pilot in Fireman Sam!) but it was perfect - she looked so cool - calling it her 'skinny suit'! And we built a snow man -pelted eachother with snow, made snow angels - brilliant.
We were meant to have been at a little party at Louise & Jack's that morning, but she had had to cancel as they had no power that morning.... well Friday night as I was dishing up dinner, our power went off. Luckily the girls were up at the table because it was pitch black- the whole road was out - we had to use our mobile phones as torches til we could find the proper torch and Duncan found some tealights - we didnt have any proper candles!! Everything was out so the girls had a brief wash after dinner..and into bed. We made it an adventure for them and the power came back on around midnight.
So Saturday we bought candles for the next eventuality - whenever that might be.....and it was Saturday night. This time it went out literally just as we got in the bath. I am so glad it wasnt one of the rare nights when Duncan isnt there for bath time - can you imagine being plunged into complete darkness with your two daughters in the bath?? So we bathed by candle light!! But the power didnt come back on in the night - in fact it still wasnt back on in the morning when the girls woke up early at 6.30am! We were due to visit Duncan's parents that morning, so we bundled the girls up quickly, got in the car and just went there - took clothes for the girls to get dressed after some breakfast. It was so dark, cold and miserable in our house! Luckily Duncan's parents house was warm and they made us a lovely brekkie - but the power wasnt back til nearly 10.30!!
In the afternoon though we braved going to Burnham (though the snow turned out to be far less over there) and finally met the gorgeous Jack 'Enjamin Friday (his name according to Amelia) who is just gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. Ben & Dawn look so happy - Dawn look blummin fantastic! It was so lovely to finally meet him - i cried - but not too much :)
Brief power cut Sunday night - but it has been back to normal ever since - very strange - there as some conspiracy theories about it - but I dont buy into that!
Duncan is now off work for the rest of this year!! But we are limited in activities as the snow is still around, but is now that horrible ice mush which isnt terribly enjoyable. I just cant believe its christmas eve tomorrow! Got to make Lucy's sack & finish her Christmas day dress tonight... and wrap most pressies (might assign some wrapping to Duncan - I can say Amelia did it!!) but I am SO SO excited about the next few days!!!!

Amelia-ism of the Day
Called out from her bed as Duncan and I went downstairs at their bedtime... 'I love you mummy - all the world and back again. Daddy - I love you nothing' and then she laughed because she knows she made a joke - little monkey!

A bit Poorly

Poor little Amelia has been poorly the last few days, it started with a cold but developed into a tummy bug with little wet farts and a lot of sick in the night last night :( She is so good when she is ill though - only moaning a little about a tummy ache - but she is definately off - yesterday she didnt even want to eat some prawns my dad and Tom bought round!!!

Our Christmas cards have finally arrived andwill be sent off tomorrow - it took me ages to get a good photoof them - I wanted something cool so made some paper snowflakes for them to play with for a 'photo shoot' in front of some red fleeceI hung up. Well - they ate them - Lucy is eating one in the picture - but I love it - it captures them well!

Lucy is definately perfecting the art of just screaming to get something - usually something her sister has - its so hard, as Lucy doesnt understand why she can just take some things, but not others, and I dont want Amelia to think that her sister can scream and automatically get what she wants - so I am developing a good diversion technique!

Anyway - we are meant to be at a Christmas party tomorrow - but will have to see how the little monkeys are - poor things :(

Amelia-ism of the day

'I waish I was just like you Daddy.' Said as she was falling asleep after puking everywhere last night. Very cute - but quite mad!

Photo Face

Lucy has developed a photo face. Or photo snarl . Its half a smile, half a menacing gesture!

Every time the camera is on her, especially if theflash light glows.. we get this face.

Thank goodness its still beyond cute!

Both the girls are loving the christmas decorations which went up at the weekend - especially some little baubles in the tree with little toys for them in. They were originally for Amelia to give out to her friends - but she is not too happy about this and has decided they may all need to be hers!

Today they played together while I put stuff away - Amelia in her bed hiding in the covers and 'booing' Lucy - who was standing at the side of the bed screaming with laughter and trying to lift the covers up each time Amelia hid - its just brilliant. They also do a fair ammount of crawling off together - usually when I want to get them dressed and its so frantic and cute that I dont care it takes over half an hour to get two such tiny monkeys dressed!! I just love it when they play together!

And this weekend (December 13th) Amelia & Lucy got their first cousin, Jack Benjamin William Friday. He is GORGEOUS! Just thrilled for Ben & so proud of Dawn and cannot wait to meet him (not til the weekend though - boo!)

Amelia-ism of the Day -

'Nanny to you have a little Nanny car seat?' - asking my mum!

Duncan's Birthday.. and other stuff

Well Duncan turned 30 last week so we have had a week of celebrations! Last Saturday Duncan and I went out for a drink with his friends to celebrate - it was the first time we have been out together since having Amelia!!! Mum and Dad came round to babysit and off out we went - I felt very strange at first, like something was missing (Amelia & Lucy!) but was fine in the pub and we had a really good time. Dad picked me up at a respectable hour and the men went on for a curry and when we got home I learned Amelia had woken up. Was she upset Mummy and Daddy wern't there?? Oh no. She was over the moon and very impressed that Nanny Green was there!

On his actual birthday we went to London Zoo. Its smaller than Colchester Zoo but this suited us as Amelia insisted on walking most of the time and Lucy didnt want to be in the buggy either and we forgot the sling so we had very tired arms when we got home. There is quite a lot of stuff there and as its smaller, you are very close. We saw lots of monkeys, lions, tigers, meercats and the aquariums and insect houses are so impressive. But the highlight was the gorillas, they came out to eat just as we got to their enclosure and all that is between you and them is a big window (I am assuming it is fairly unbreakable!!) and they can walk above you in walkways, so above us most of the time was the new 20 stone male gorilla they have bought in, a few meters above our heads, looking down at us. Amazing.

Amelia however, preferred the statues of the gorillas, especially the mummy and baby ones and also didnt want to leave a little tree house in the childrens section. Its ridiculous really, I am glad Duncan and I enjoyed it as much as we did cos Amelia is easy to please with some lunch, a tree house and gorilla statue! The journey home was a nightmare though - taking nearly 3 hours. Both girls were stars though, especially Lucy as she hadnt really been able to crawl around all day - had been carried or asleep in a pushchair or car for most of it.

We also had a little party for him yesterday - just both our families here, a bit of BBQ on the chinmea (or, as it turned out, on the actual BBQ as it would have taken too long to use the chimnea!!) and some fireworks! I had been wondering how Amelia & Lucy would fare with them - we had seen some from indoors around bonfire night and I had told Amelia how loud they would be. Well she loved them! More More she was shouting!! Lucy was not so keen, she didnt like the initial whoosh as they took off - so we actually played indoors while pyromaniac duncan did his fireworks!

Last night I awoke to Amelia crying out, almost sobbing. I went in there and she was beside herself, 'I wanted that Nana (banana)' and I realised she was half dreaming, so I said 'Well you can have the nana darling'

She replied 'Its Lucys'

'She will share'

'But I wanted them breadsticks'

'You can have the breadsticks'

'They are Lucys'

'Lucy will share them with you'

'She cant - they are hers!'

and this went on for a good 10 minutes until she fell back asleep, it was so wierd. This morning I asked her if she remembered and she said 'yes - I wanted Lucys breadstick, but I didnt snatch them' - now how good is that?? Even in her dreams!!!

However today we went round the whole of Tescos with her denying she needed a wee - she hadnt been all morning. I should have just taken her and made her go.... because after I got both girls in the car, packed the shopping in the boot (in the pouring rain) and put my key in the ignition she announced 'I neeeeeeeed a wee'. I asked if she could wait. She could not. So I said 'Well you will have to sit on Mummy's knees and go in the car park'. She thought about it and beamed 'Yes Please, like a dog.'

She was so impressed with herself afterwards. How disgusting!!!

Amelia-ism of the day

'Mummy, why have you put that shoe polish on your eyes?'

It was eye liner - shows how long it is since I have worn make up - and how badly I clearly apply it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cold Water

We take it in turns to bath with the girls every night - so much fun, so much mess! We usually try to throw cold water over the other one and Amelia has picked up on this, two nights ago she got out the bath and while brushing her teeth, filled up a cup with cold water and chucked it over Duncan who was stuill lounging in the bath. I couldnt have been prouder, except last time they all ganged up on me and I had several freezing pints chucked on me - even Lucy thought it was funny!!!

Amelia-ism of the day

Me 'Are you drinking the bath water?'
Amelia 'No - I am just washing inside my mouth.'

She was drinking it - but is very very sly!!!

A Wendy House

The girl's wendy house was finally put up this weekend ... both Grandads came round and it actually went up a lot better than expected - I think its brilliant. Amelia announced 'Its the best wendy house ever' and fell over the step each and every time she ran in and out!!!!! It just needs a bit of TLC and it really will be the best one ever!
We went swimming at the weekend too, it took Lucy a while to get into it as it was quite a bit colder than usual..but we had a great time in the end, well over an hours worth of splashing and shark imitations..brilliant.
We spent Sunday afternoon with Ben, Dawn and the Jack/Grace bump. CANNOT WAIT til that baby comes out. CANNOT WAIT. It hammered with rain all morning, but we braved their excellent local park. Amelia loved it - but near-gale force winds did not agree with Lucy, especially as she would not keep her socks on... how she kicks them off so quickly, I will never know. Funny how both the girls have an aversion to anything on their feet, as soon as Amelia could crawl, she would rip her chums socks off too!!!
Plans are coming together for Duncan's 30th next week. Amelia is getting him a kite. There is no danger that he will see this and be surprised before his birthday as she has informed him several times she is getting 'The best kite ever!' (do you see a Best Pattern Ever here?!?!?)
Lucy is pulling herself to stand on anything and everything, she will not stay off the fireplace, knowing full well she is not allowed on there - she gives me a little smile and tries to climb into it. She is also letting go and trying to stand unaided. Its ridiculous - she is my tiny baby!!!!
Got Amelia a christmas present today - a stocking filler really - a cheapo tutu fairy skirt from a 99p shop, I forgot to put it away though when we got home and she managed to convince me to let her wear it ... well she loves it. She took it off fr her birth , but cred until Duncan gave in and let her wear it in bed. 99p..... I hope we get a suitable reaction for all her more expensive presents. She also told me today I could 'cry about it'. That monkey.. I was laughing at her and Lucy having a scream off after lunch!!!

Amelia-ism of the Day..
'Cuddle Mummy Cuddle'
'Why'
'I dont know.... I cant cuddle myself' (read as... I I dont knooooooooooooooooow, I cant cuddle moi-sellllllllllllllllllllllfffff!!)

Jumping Up and Down in Muddy Puddles!

Today while Duncan has been at home with the flu, we went to Hockley woods to check out the new play equipment and for Amelia to jump up and down in muddy puddles a la Peppa Pig.
So we got in the car (we couldnt have walked and taken the buggy - would have been filthy!) and Lucy got in the sling and we went off to find muddy puddles - it had rained so much earlier in the week I thought the place would be awash with mud and puddles, but ...no. After walking down the hill and finding dry ground we cut across to find wetter ground, and got a little bit lost...but did not find a single puddle...until we got back to the car park - which was full of them!! Then there was much jumping and Amelia got covered in muddy water! Surprisingly, as normally when she gets wet she wants to whip her clothes off, she was pretty happy to get soggy & filthy - maybe as she was wearing her wellies and woods clothes.

A real shame we had to jump in the car park...but needs must!

This is how lucy spent the walk - all slinged up ... looking a little thoughtful in this photo..

Then we went into the park and were not too impressed with the new equipment really, its a bit to old for her - but we went on the old faithful - the swings and both were happy!!

We had to leave in a hurry though - with Amelia announcing she needed a wee and it was going to come out - we ran to the car and I strapped in Lucy , whipped Amelia's trousers and knickers down to have a dignified squat and she started a poo strain - I could not believe it! Luckily she didnt manage to actually poo there - thank goodness!

Amelia-ism of the Day

Duncan 'Did you have fun at the woods'

Amelia 'I needed a poo in the car park but it didnt come out. Just a little bit of wee wee.'

Apparantly that was of more interest than the puddles & swings!!