Bubble-Making Magic

Christmas build-up

2009-12-24T21:47:00.008Z

The last few weeks have been quite busy, but in a nice way, with the build-up to Christmas. It started in the first week of December when we spent a few days at Center Parcs at Sherwood Forest. We've been due a break for a while, and when an offer of money to help us came along, we couldn't say no! It was a lovely few days, with plenty to keep us occupied. Imogen loved watching the squirrels and was fascinated by the singing reindeer in the village centre. The village centre looked lovely on an evening with all the Christmas lights, and Imogen loved the fireworks display mid-week. We're planning a return trip next year at the same time - it was a nice time to go away and got us started in the Christmas spirit.

I opted to do Christmas shopping without Imogen this year - I just couldn't face coping with the two at the same time! Some of the shopping was done while she was at nursery, but Nanny and Gramps looked after the Grandchildren for a day (well, Imogen for the day, and Molly & Charlie once they'd finished school) so I could go to Leeds with Rach.

We're not ones for putting up the tree too early, so that was left until last weekend. Dave and I did most of it on Saturday afternoon while Imogen was having her nap, but left a few bits, including the top star, for Imogen to finish it off. She loves the tree and spends ages walking round it looking at the different decorations, telling you what they all are - "Santa", "reindeer", "fairy", "lights" and - my favourite "wellies" (stockings to you and me!) Unfortunately she doesn't seem to understand that you look without your fingers, and several times, she's unhooked a decorations and then brought it to me saying "Oops!"

For the last week the weather has been cold and snowy. Imogen went out into the garden with Dave last weekend to build a snowman, which she loved doing. Buster was bit confused with snowballs that disappear when the land though! Whether we'll have snow falling of Christmas Day for a truly white Christmas remains to be seen.

Obviously the true reason for Christmas is important to us. At the toddler service at church, all through December we've been reading about the different parts of the Christmas story - the birth, shepherds, kings - with a bit of a craft activity to go with it. Today we've been to a crib service with her, when she tried to have a closer look at baby Jesus by pulling him out of the crib, and tomorrow we're going to a communion service in the morning as well.

Imogen seems to get that something is going on, but doesn't understand what. It's all just very exciting for her to be with lots of people who love her and to be able to play with Molly and Charlie! I read her "Twas the night before Christmas..." at bedtime tonight, and we'll try and have some other calm times together, but I'm not overly hopeful!

Help, help, help!

2009-11-30T22:35:00.002Z

I can't do anything now without Imogen asking to "help, help, help". I know I shouldn't complain, and generally I'm letting her join in (although it doubles - at least - the length of time it takes to do anything), but it's difficult when it involves things like draining boiling water from pasta, or cutting up carrots and onions. She's not much good at pairing up socks either!

She'll learn!

2009-11-21T21:48:00.003Z

I gave a cocktail sausage to Imogen, then went downstairs to the freezer. Suddenly Imogen started crying and saying "No, no". When I asked her what was wrong her reply was "Sausage, Gone", whilst pointing at Buster! Bless her, she was really upset by it, even asking him for it back!

Big Sister

2009-11-07T22:06:00.003Z

We've know for several weeks now, and you may have picked it up from facebook, but Imogen is going to become a big sister, probably in early May, next year, assuming everything goes OK. We have set up a blog to keep track of the progress; you can follow the Full O' Fizz blog by clicking the link

Toilet training

2009-10-31T20:36:00.002Z

Not started in earnest (mainly because at the moment I don't think I've got the patience for it!) but she seems to know what she's supposed to do. For weeks now she's been giving me a running commentary on my toilet visits - "sit down, wee wee, paper, toilet, flush" - so we thought we'd introduce a potty to the bathroom to see if she made any effort to use it. Our first attempt a few weeks ago just resulted in her playing with the potty and rarely sitting on it, so it went away. But we've got another one out now (a basic one - the first one was an complicated multi-use thingy) and she seems to be doing OK. When we go and change her nappy, she'll often ask to sit on the potty. Until today that just meant sitting on it for a few seconds, getting up, walking round, peeing on the floor, sitting down again and repeat! Today when Dave took her up, she seemed to be doing the same, but farted lots and told him she'd pooed (although she hadn't!). Then later, when I took her up she seemed to be going down the same route until she sat for a bit longer and did actually poo in the potty! Hurrah! She did get a bit upset when she saw it, but then told me it was a caterpillar! It can't have upset her that much, because she's sat on the potty again since. I'm still not ready to buy the pants and ditch the nappies, but we're making moves in the right direction.

18 months, not 18 years!

2009-10-31T20:24:00.002Z

For a few weeks now, when we've been sat chatting at the dinner table after we've finished eating, Imogen has been copying us when it comes to how we have our hands. If one or other of us has our hands clasped together and resting on our lap, that's what she will do. If we rest our head on hands, she'll do that too. Fold arms across tummy, that too is copied. If we put thumbs on the edge of the table, in the way of the student drinking game, that will also be copied. Tonight, Charotte put her thumbs on the table, Imogen followed, then shouted at me that I hadn't!!! Pah!

Sleep-talking

2009-10-13T20:08:00.002+01:00

Last night, just as I was snuggling down in bed, reading before going to sleep, Imogen started chatting. I thought I'd woken her, but no, it was sleep talking! She didn't talk for very long, and I have no idea what she was babbling about (just like half the time during the day!), but it was definitely sleep talking.

My Mum says Imogen takes after me!

The end?

2009-10-12T19:39:00.002+01:00

Tonight Imogen went to bed and didn't ask for milk from me. If anyone else puts her to bed, that's been fine - she's quite happy not to have breast then (obviously!) - but this was the first time that she's not had any if I've put her to bed. I don't know whether she was so tired she just didn't think, or whether it's the end of breast-feeding. Whatever, by breast-feeding her for 18 months I've given her the best start I could, and if she's ready to do without, then I am too!

A little song

2009-09-19T14:07:00.002+01:00

This is Imogen's favourite song at the moment. She's obviously picked it up from nursery, 'cos I haven't really sung it much with her - in fact I had to look the words up when she got frustrated that I wouldn't sing it with her!

Mummy!

2009-09-17T21:42:00.001+01:00

After many months of waiting...

It started with her signing "Daddy"
This moved on to signing and saying "Daddy"
Then came signing "Mummy" and saying "Daddy"

Today, when I went to pick Imogen up from nursery, I opened the room door and...

she signed and spoke "Mummy" :)

Why..

2009-09-15T09:55:00.000+01:00

Why is it that when I'm having a bad day - tired & not feeling well - Imogen decides that's when she's not going to have a good day either? Yesterday afternoon was awful - she didn't have a proper nap and then spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in a very bad mood, while all I wanted to do was go to sleep! Turns out I was brewing a migraine which hit last night :(

Competition winner!

2009-09-13T22:04:00.000+01:00

Last weekend was the village show where Mum & Dad live. Among the competitions were the usual photographic ones. Dad entered this photo in the "people" section - and won! Nothing to do with the great composition and lovely colours - it was all to do with the gorgeous little girl!!!

SAGGA camp 2009

2009-09-13T19:35:00.000+01:00

It was a few weeks ago now, but I've had trouble with the photos. This year's camp was at Giant's Seat campsite near Radcliffe in Manchester, and we went for just over a week. The weather was OK - a few days of rain, but nothing too bad.
I was worried before we went that tea-time and bed-time were going to be a nightmare - food being later than we'd eat at home, and everything going on stopping her wanting to go to bed. But it was all OK - there were a couple of evenings that were a bit harder, but generally not too many problems. Daytime naps were not as long as she'd have at home - and she was suffering for that later in the week - but we got through without too many tears.
Imogen loved being out in the fresh air with all the space - and plenty of people to play with. Simple things like bubbles were a hit and kept her occupied for ages, with Charlie teaching her to "pop, pop, pop" the ones on the floor. And the big digger was also exciting to watch - but only for a while! In true SAGGA style Imogen tried to get stuck in with the work - after watching others leveling some concrete, she later picked up some tools and had a go herself!
I was more relaxed this year about leaving her with others, and Dave took his turn at being "in charge", so I got some time and space as well which was nice. We didn't really get to visit any tourist attractions (a planned visit to the MOSI was abandoned in favour of a lie-in!) but still got off site to the nearby country park and into Bury for some shopping. Obligatory visits to the swimming pool for a wash were also enjoyed!

Bubble-tastic!

2009-08-13T22:55:00.002+01:00

Tonight Imogen had bubbles in the bath. She's had them before and has enjoyed playing with them and laughing at Mummy with bubbles on her nose. But tonight as soon as she saw them she got very excited and uttered the fantastic word. Yes Bubble said "Bubble"! Over and over again!

Photos

2009-08-12T15:29:00.003+01:00

Have changed the photo feed for the blog, so hopefully you should see the most recent photos at the top. If you want to see any older ones go to http://picasaweb.google.com/charlotte.pinney

Long awaited update

2009-08-12T14:54:00.013+01:00

Once again we've been slack on blogging, so here's a bit of an update.

Since we went on the boat Imogen seems to have suddenly grown up. No longer does she need us to cuddle her to sleep - lovely as it means we have evenings back, but I do miss the cuddles! The other major thing is that she's no longer happy to sit in the push chair and just go for a ride - she'll sit for a bit, but then just wants to be out and walk. This is no bad thing - I'm all for making/letting kids walk, but it does mean that journeys take far longer than before as every leaf/flower/stone/bit of rubbish etc is just sooo interesting! Uncle Hugh bought her a wonderful little rucksack which she's quite happy to wear and means that, not only can I stop her running off after whatever is interesting, but also allows he to carry her own snack pot, drink & Mr Cow!

Healthwise, the snotty nose and viral rashes seem to have reduced in frequency (having said that she's not great at the moment!). We did have hand, foot & mout disease (no, not the same as what cows get!) which meant a week off nursery and not seeing a couple of friends for a bit who were concerned about little babies catching it. The blisters on her feet seemed to take ages to totally heal, and it did seem to have played havoc with her bowels.

She seems to really enjoy nursery. After the holiday and her illness we had a couple of week of her not being too sure about us leaving her, but that's all passed now. Sh'll quite happily gie me a kiss and a wave, then toddle off to play with whatever toy takes her fancy. I think she enjoys it all too much - there's so much going on that sleep is always a struggle there. We're lucky if she has more than an hour there and sometimes it's not even that (compared to 2+hrs at home) and she is always exhausted when she's home, which leads to tears and stress.

Her communication is improving all the time - she certainly makes it known what she wants. Her signing vocabulary grows all the time, and she'll often look at me waiting for the sign (shame I don't always know what the sign is!) and will try and sign new things after me doing it only once or twice. Nursery have said a few times about her using it there as well. I certainly think that it's helped us understand her, and reduces chances of frustration. And it certainly prooves that she understands a lot more than we'd have given her credit for. Her speaking is coming along as well. I'm still waiting for her to reliably say "Mummy", but there's plenty of other words. I'm not convinced other people would know what she's trying to say - either with signing or vocally - but we get along.

Holiday aboard Quintet

2009-06-26T21:25:00.002+01:00

Last week we went away for a holiday on the boat. It was a lovely week, although you wouldn't exactly say relaxing!
We didn't get very far along the canal - it took us a week to travel as far as we would have got in an afternoon in the past. But that wasn't the aim of the holiday anyway - it was more about a change of scenery and escaping having to think about the boring things like bills!
During the day we spent plenty of time feeding the ducks and playing the in the park near the canal. Imogen and I also went swimming and to a soft play, while Dave and Buster enjoyed a few long walks. Dave and I also managed to have an evening out at the local pub, thanks to Mum & Dad babysitting.
Sleep was perhaps the most stressful part of the week - the boats not really set up with a safe place for a lively toddler to sleep. On a night she slept on a blow-up kiddie bed which we wedged in the corridor near the bathroom. During the day, naps were in a buggy squashed in front of the wardrobe! The first three nights were awful, with none of us getting a decent sleep - and we nearly gave up and came home - but things got better and she settled into sleeping through the nights, which made things easier.
There are a few more pictures here - feeding the ducks, wearing her life jacket (which, luckily, she was quite happy to keep on) and Buster, the captain!

Painting and drawing

2009-05-25T21:58:00.002+01:00

Imogen seems to not have much interest in drawing and painting. She got an Aquadraw mat for her birthday, which she'll use for a few minutes, but that's about it. Try and get her to draw in birthday cards for people, and she'd rather eat the crayon. And painting's not much better. We've only had about 3 paintings from nursery and the last one came with a comment from the staff "I've never seen a child so uninterested in painting"!

Let's hope we can find some other creative outlet for her. I'd hate her to have nothing as she grows up - I think it's very important to have something to "escape" to.

How to...

2009-05-25T21:54:00.002+01:00

...wash your face the Imogen way
1. Get Mummy to buy a flannel that has a character or face on it or, even better, one that's a puppet.
2. When Mummy wants me to have a wash, get her to hold the flannel so I can see the face, then put on a silly voice and say "Come on Imogen, give me a kiss!"
3. While the nice flannel is giving me lots of kisses, make sure Mummy is making silly sound effects.

...brush you teeth the Imogen way
1. Get Daddy to help. Mummy's useless!

More Imogen proofing required

2009-05-12T21:19:00.002+01:00

Imogen's climbing has taken another step forward (no pun intended). This morning she was playing on the lounge floor while I was clearing the table after breakfast. I came back from the kitchen to find her sat on the sofa. Argh! All that stuff that was out of reach are no more - now very accessible and at risk! Help - where do we move it all to?

"I forgot to tell you..."

2009-05-12T20:29:00.003+01:00

Or that's what Imogen seems to say to me some nights when I'm sitting with her while she goes to sleep. She'll be laid there, sucking her thumb, cuddling My Cow, all quiet and nearly sleep. Then suddenly she'll have a little manic phase - sit up, look at me, get all animated, chattering away and gesticulating - and then as suddenly as it started it's all over and she's laid quiet again. It's as if she suddenly remembers something about the day that she _has_ to tell me. Very cute and brings a smile to my face - I'd just love to know what she's trying to tell me about!

A little film

2009-05-08T22:33:00.004+01:00

Here's a little film that we've created. Enjoy!

Baby encounters

2009-04-27T22:13:00.002+01:00

Mad & Charlie came to visit today. It was good to see them, although I'm not sure Imogen would entirely agree!

Charlie's about 11 weeks old, and I reckon it must have been Imogen's first encounter with a baby a lot younger than her - especially in our house. She kept a close eye on her, looked puzzled when Charlie made "baby" noises (rather than the "toddler chat" that she makes) and seemed fascinated by breast-feeding (despite her still doing it, so she knows full well what it's all about!).

But I guess the most telling point came when I was left holding Charlie as Mad went off to get something. Imogen came over to me & Charlie and gave us a cuddle - all very nice - but then tried to move Charlie out of the way so she could get onto my knee as well/instead.

Still, she can't have disliked her that much - Imogen gave her a kiss as they were going - and they're not given out to just anyone!

No tears

2009-04-23T22:08:00.002+01:00

There were no tears from Imogen when I dropped her off at nursery this morning. She was met at the gate by one of the staff and a couple of little friends and off she toddled to play. And that was it! I know that means she's happy at nursery and doesn't mind going, but it was a bit sad that she didn't even look back to say goodbye!

Hugs!

2009-04-20T23:10:00.003+01:00

Yesterday at church there was another little girl, about 6 months older than Imogen. We hadn't seen the family before, but Imogen's a friendly kid and made them feel welcome - during one of the songs she walked up to Emily and, unprompted, put her arms round her to give her a big hug. Very cute!